


Wanderers

by Variet



Category: No Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:13:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27191570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Variet/pseuds/Variet
Summary: A group of friends set out to have the time of their lives. Having powers definitely makes their story more interesting than one would expect.
Kudos: 11





	1. A dispute? This early?

A dense fog rested upon a vast plot of land. Being able to see your hand in front of your own face would have been considered a supernatural feat in these conditions. One would not even be able to tell if it were night or day if they didn't have a literal piercing gaze. However, people would still make the risky journey through this area. Some people make this journey because they wish to explore what this 'Dark Land' has to offer. Others travel through this area because they believe they have a civil duty to complete. And some others...

An RV was parked along the side of a stretching road. The vehicle itself was white with golden stripes wrapping around it. The name 'Alejandra' was written just above one of the stripes in cursive writing. Considering the vehicle was an RV, it's surprisingly tall. Most would do a double-take after looking at it for the first time, for the simple fact that it was a double-decker. The lights on the upper floor were very much off, whereas the ones on the lower floor were shining somewhat brightly through the thickened fog. Funnily enough, the voices from within the car were cutting through the air like a sword through the water.

"You can't just place that card on top of that one!" A male voice spoke out from inside of the vehicle. He sounded beyond disgruntled, and the source of his anger quickly followed him up.

"I can! I'm placing a power card on top of another!" The second voice, also male, retorted. "That's literally within the rules of the game! You're gonna start telling me that the damn rules are wrong?!"

"The rules aren't wrong, you are! You can't put a Two of Spades on top of that Blackjack! It's inactive, Marcus picked the cards up! You made a mistake, so pick up two cards!"

"... Wait, for real..? I didn't see him do that!"

"Guys, let's just take it easy..." Another voice spoke up. This one sounded a lot meeker in comparison to the others, almost like they didn't want to be a part of this whole ordeal. Yet he still wanted to make his points clear. "It's just a game, right?"

"Not when money is involved, then it becomes business!"

Inside of the RV was quite luxurious. After entering, you would be greeted with a living room-esque area. A couch was pressed up against one of the walls of the makeshift home as a TV was embedded into the parallel wall. Passing a very narrow staircase would lead you to the kitchen of the home. A few counters laid against a wall with a microwave resting atop of it. Several chairs were laid out on the floor. A table was dead centre of the room, and where the source of all the noise came from. Four teenage boys all sat around said table. One of the boys had his chair turned away from the others, and for a good reason.

The angriest of the bunch was a black teenager with a mop of black hair upon his head. His dark brown eyes stared down the person sitting right beside him. This teen, baring a similar skin tone, wore a high-top on top of his head. Around the base of his head was mostly shaved down, as that was his so-called 'style'. The last of those participating directly to the game was visibly the smallest of the group (not to say he is a small person, however). His hair was very much shaved quite low, yet he internally believed he could do with a haircut quite soon. Judging by the number of cards he was holding, it was quite clear that he was the boy named Marcus. 

Marcus' gaze was averted towards the last member of the group. Visually, he was the most different from the group at first glance. For one, he was fair-skinned. His hair colour was a deep shade of brown - it was also quite short compared to other members of the group. Another important piece of information to note was that he was holding a katana. He was wiping the blade off with a piece of cloth, occasionally turning around to shake his head at the loudest members of the group.

"Hey, can you guys be a bit quieter? I don't want to lose a thumb over here." His voice sounded surprisingly patient, considering the other members of the group and the noise they were making.

"Roku, all of us here know that you're not gonna cut yourself. But sure, we'll take it down a peg." The mop-headed boy replied, sitting further back into his seat. 

"Thank you." Roku smiled warmly at the others, before returning to the blade before him.

Marcus cleared his throat before speaking up again. "So, Ty, you picking up those cards..?" He almost immediately regretted asking that question as the taller boy took a deep breath in.

"I'm only gonna pick up if Z over here gets off of my ass over this." The high-topped teen shifted his focus to Z, the mop-headed one.

"I'm only 'on your ass' because you refuse to play pro-"

"Please," Roku spoke up, his back still facing the others. "Please don't phrase it like that."

The others looked at their companion for a moment, before the realization hit them all. Marcus placed a hand over his mouth as he started to snicker. He lowered his head onto the table to make the sight of him holding back laughter less visible. Meanwhile, Ty was practically the exact opposite. He let his laugh sound out loud and proud as he slammed his fist onto the table repeatedly. He shot glances at Z ever so often, causing him to laugh even harder. Z, on the other hand, did not find the situation as humorous as the others. He let out an exaggerated sigh before turning back to Roku again.

"What I said wasn't even that bad! It's just that you immedi-" He caught himself mid-sentence. All four of them turned their heads towards the front of the RV. Someone was knocking on the door repeatedly. As far as they were concerned, they were the only people in that area for a good couple of miles.


	2. The gang's all here

The being on the other side of the door pounded once more. Clearly, they wanted in, there was no denying it at this point. The four of them all exchanged a look before rising to their feet. Z, Marcus and Ty all clenched their fists whilst Roku brandished the blade in his hands. 

There was a faint sound of something jangling - small and metal. The group all kept their eyes on the door ahead of them. If they had to fight now, at least it would be on their own turf. Something clicked ahead of them, must have been the lock. All of them readied themselves for the ensuing battle, it started to feel like a now or never situation.

That was until the door actually opened.

The person on the other side of the door was no awful-looking being or a stranger. As a matter of fact, it was someone they knew very well. Someone they probably didn't want to see after leaving them outside for so long. He looked to be around their age, whilst just about being the tallest of the group. The hair upon his head was beyond scruffy, with trails of hair travelling down the side of his face and a slight tuft of hair popping out from his chin. The look that rested upon his features could have been described as the opposite of welcoming, though.

"I have been knocking on that door for how long, and you all just leave me out there?!" He yelled. The other members of the group shrunk back slightly.

"Take it easy, bro! We kinda just forgot you were outside, that's all." Ty responded all too nonchalantly, releasing his stance and sinking onto his seat.

"Whoa, don't lump us in with you! Just because you forgot, doesn't mean we all did!" Z was quick to chip in.

"Oh really? Then what's your excuse?"

"We... We simply..." Z was struggling to finish his sentence off. Perhaps Ty was right for once?

"Oh Dios mío... Enough of the arguing!" The final member of the group chucked a plastic bag towards the others. Marcus was the one to catch it. The others huddled around him slightly to see what was inside. The bag held an assortment of sweets and other various confectioneries. 

"That should last us all until our next stop. Provided that none of you eats them all overnight." 

"You know," Roku started. "Something tells me that we won't be seeing anything in that bag tomorrow. But thank you, Javier."

* * *

Driving through the night was something that Javier often found peace with. Aside from the unnaturally dense fog, the clear road and the dark sky were always something that just put him at ease. His hands rested on the steering wheel as he gave the road his focus. He glanced over to the stereo and an idea quickly stirred. Perhaps this quiet drive could do with some music? He reached a hand out towards the stereo before forcing himself to stop.

Right, the Dark Lands... Javier remembered pleading with the others to avoid this specific spot of land. Tourists rarely had anything pleasant to say about it, but that only fueled the fire of curiosity. In hindsight, he probably should have made the place sound more boring rather than intriguing. 

"Javier, are you alright?" A rather concerned voice pulled him from his self-lamenting. A quick peek over his shoulder would have revealed that it was Roku standing beside him. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Why are you up so late?" 

"Can't sleep. The others are knocked out, though." He gestured over his shoulder at the nearby staircase. "You don't mind if I take a seat, do you?"

A corner of Javier's mouth curled up slightly as he kept his gaze locked ahead. "You already know what the answer is."

Roku chuckled as he slipped into the passenger's seat. "It never hurts to ask." He fiddled with the seatbelt, ensuring he was secured properly before continuing to talk. "I'm still surprised that you can do this."

Javier gave a questioning hum, prompting his friend to continue.

"You just sit here for hours at a time, just driving. How do you not get tired of this?"

"Well... Having something to listen to overnight is usually a surefire way to keep me up. But as for now? I have to power through it."

"I suppose that explains all of the sleeping during the day then, huh?"

Javier exhaled, whilst his mouth involuntarily curled up into a smile. "It's not like you guys make it any easier, though. There's always something to be shouting at during the day around here, apparently." 

There was a moment of silence between the duo as Javier turned his attention back towards the foggy road ahead. Their foglights were almost struggling to illuminate a few metres ahead of them. Roku eased into the seat slightly as they cut through the thick mist. He always wondered what it would be like if something like fog were to be denser? How would that affect life?

"Hey. You ever think about quitting the hero job?"

Roku was pulled right back out of his musings and back to the real world.

"Why do you ask? Are you thinking about leaving us?"

"You didn't answer the question. Do you ever think about going back to living a normal life?" Javier's tone seemed to be concerningly flat. His eyes were glued to the asphalt ahead, making Roku feel a tinge of worry.

"You know I can't just quit this life. But even if I could, I still don't think I would. Being able to protect people with these powers? I can't even begin to explain how important that is for others." Roku shifted in his seat, anticipating Javier's response.

The other teen allowed a hint of a smile to grace his face as he shook his head. "Esperaba algo así. Of course, you gave an answer like that. This life ain't for the faint of heart, so it's a wonder that someone like you has made it this far here." He started to laugh to himself, letting Roku know that he was merely messing with him.

"If you're going to ask something like that, at least let me know you're joking around! You had me going for a second there!" The passenger leaned over and nudged the driver's arm gently, letting his frustration be known. Javier only laughed harder. "Your social skills are something else, I swear..."

"Hey, hey! You know I'm just playing. I ain't leaving any time soon. And neither are the others." He paused for a moment, getting lost in thought for a second. "If one of us were to leave first, it would be Tyler."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"Because I would probably accidentally drive off without him one day!" Javier immediately burst into laughter, slapping his hand against the steering wheel a couple of times. Roku let out a sigh, but couldn't hide the ensuing chuckle.

"You're awful."


	3. Less than normal

Marcus squinted as light managed to seep through the blinds. He waved a hand in the air to try and shield his eyes from the orange light, but his effort was just a waste of energy. He sat upright and stretched his arms, yawning all the while. He glanced over to the other mattresses beside him and noted that they were all empty.

"What the...?" He asked himself quietly as he rose to his feet and rubbed his eyes. He left the rather small room and meandered down a thin corridor. Before the boy was a door and the staircase leading him to the lower floor of the vehicle. He scratched the side of his head rather sluggishly as he thought about what was more important: self-care or finding the others? The boy spent a good minute standing in place as he considered his options. Eventually, Marcus opened the door to what appeared to be the bathroom and locked himself inside.

Meanwhile, the others were dealing with more pressing matters outside.

Javier leaned against Alejandra's hood as he stared ahead in disbelief. Ty sat on the hood precariously as he tilted his head to the side. He raised an eyebrow and squinted as though the main issue of the day wasn't a few metres away from him. Z and Roku stood side by side as they scratched their heads simultaneously. Z glanced over his shoulder at the second duo and gestured to the sight ahead of them with his thumb.

"It's not every day you see something like that, huh?" The sight in question was a row of oak trees. The main problem was the fact that these trees had sprouted in the middle of the road they were driving on. It appeared that it wasn't a single row either. A dense forest had managed to break through the ground ahead of them and create the most natural (yet unnatural) blockade possible.

"Guess that explains the lack of drivers coming from this direction." Javier surmised as he approached the forest ahead of them. He studied the surprise evergreen with a hand playing with the hair on his chin. They appeared to be the usual thickness a tree would come in, and their leaves shined with a luscious green hue as the morning sunlight pierced them. Ty soon joined his side. He smiled to himself as he jumped up and grabbed a low-hanging branch, hoisting himself up and gaining a slightly higher viewpoint. This act earned him a sigh from Javier and a chuckle from Roku. Z scoffed as he approached a different tree.

"Be careful up there." The swordsman stated.

"Oi, look at the roots!" Z quickly pointed out as he pointed downwards. The others all averted their gaze to the lower points of the trees and another wave of surprise washed over the gang. Surrounding every tree at it's lowest point was a metal ring. The rings appeared to be around two inches in thickness. Z rubbed the back of his head and blew off some air as he took a step back. Ty hung upside down as he peered at the rings. His eyelids raised for all of a second before he clambered back up among the branches. Javier raised a leg and pressed it against a random tree. He applied a bit of pressure to see how much these altered trees would budge. Alas, the tree didn't budge an inch. Roku drew his sword and placed it just above the ring of a tree. The reflection off of the blade made it clear that there was a slight gap between the tree itself and the ring. This whole situation was becoming weirder and weirder by the second.

Ty's voice rung around from the canopy. "Are we still gonna go ahead?!" It was pretty difficult to tell where his voice came from specifically, thanks to the obstruction of the luscious woodland.

"Of course we are, what makes you think that we're gonna stop here?" Z responded - he cupped his hands around his mouth to make his voice more clear for Ty's sake.

"...The fact that we stopped."

Z paused. He looked back at Alejandra and then at Javier. The older teen took a moment away from his pushing to notice Z's look. He responded with a shrug before turning back to the vehicle behind them and walking towards it. 

"Aye Roku! Can't you just slash this whole thing down?! Wouldn't that be the move here?!" Rustling began to reverberate overhead. After a few seconds, Ty dropped right back down to the ground with a surprisingly graceful landing.

"I could..." Roku started, "But all of the hacking and slashing I would do would definitely dull this blade. So much so that I don't even know if I would be able to restore it." The swordsman sheathed his blade as he faced Ty. 

"It's just some trees! I guarantee you there are people out there that can chop this whole clearing down in one slice!"

"Firstly, I'm not one of those people. Secondly, this is more of an environmental issue than anything. We shouldn't just cut them down because they inconvenience us."

"Ah great, ANOTHER lecture coming my way..." Ty crossed his arms and leaned against a tree. Roku pinched the bridge of his nose ever so slightly as he prepared to start talking again. However, he was interrupted by Z snapping his fingers behind them.

"I got it! Roku, you can hang back with Alejandra. Ty and I got this." He cracked his knuckles as he approached the tree directly ahead of their ride. Roku nodded as he headed back as instructed.

"Hell yeah, we got this! We're gonna do this task so good that people are gonna... wait, Z, what the hell are we gonna do?" Ty had to catch himself midsentence as he realized the ridiculousness of the situation. 

Z answered without looking back. "It's simple. I loosen these, you move them, Javier comes in closer and you put them back once he's passed over them." With that, Z trained his focus on the tree before him. He placed his palm on the bark and closed his eyes. 

A silver band manifested around the tree completely. It glowed for a moment. Once the shining subsided, it became very clear that fabric tape, metal teeth and a slider had formed around the tree. Z had manifested a zipper to surround the circumference of the tree. He grinned to himself as he stepped aside from the larger piece of lumber and snapped his fingers.

Javier tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to a tune in his head as he watched the duo outside. Roku sat beside him but was more focused than his companion. He was leaning forwards on his seat to keep his eyes on the zipper that Z had produced. With some squinting on his part, he was just about able to see that the slider had started to move once its creator snapped his fingers. The small piece of metal wasted no time in doing a full lap of the tree. As soon as it came back around to it's starting position, the towering collection of bark started to tilt towards them. Javier followed it with his eyes as Roku leaned forwards in his seat. The wind coursed through the leaves as it made its way towards their vehicle. The driver forced himself to stifle a yawn out of pure boredom. The tree came awfully close to the roof of the coach, and that's when Ty decided to act.

The teen standing before the log raised a hand above his head. The tree landed in his palm and halted its descent. Despite the diameter of the tree clocking in at roughly thirty-eight inches, it was stopped by Ty without a hint of sweat being broken. He raised his free hand and grabbed another section of the tree. He was able to carry the fully-grown tree above his head like it was nothing. The teen walked to the side of the road and dropped the log with a resounding thud. He looked over his shoulder and grinned back at the duo within the vehicle.

"We'll get this done in no time!" He exclaimed. 

Javier gave a dismissing wave of his hand, although it was difficult for him to hide the smile that had grown on his face. Roku gave a thumbs-up to inspire the two to continue with their work. Just as Ty began to return to the road and Z prepared another tree, Marcus casually strolled up behind the others that were indoors with him.

"Heya! I just woke up! I decided to wash off real qui- WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH THOSE TREES?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a bit early to send this message, but Happy Holidays!


	4. First stop: Mythfort

The hours trudged on by as Z and Ty worked together to make way for their friends. Ty grunted as he carried the final misplaced tree back in its original position. The zipper that had surrounded the short stump worked its magic and the bark was reconnected to the ground properly. He yelled as he fell backwards against Alejandra from exhaustion and slid down to the ground. His arms felt as though they were seizing up from performing only the same actions with sparse breaks. He grunted as his head tilted upwards to look at the grey sky that hung over them.

"Done..!" His voice sluggishly called out.

Z walked around to the back of their coach and grinned after seeing the state his friend was in. He turned to look at the wall of trees that had initially obstructed them. As it had turned out, the wall of trees expanded much further beyond what they had thought before. The expanse of trees stretched as far as a good few miles away from where they had pierced the woodland barrier. Even turning his head the other way showed the same result. 

"Hey, hey, a little hand here?" Ty snapped his fingers repeatedly to grab Z's attention. He was still laying down on the ground but he did manage to at least raise his hand to bring the other teen back down to reality. He opened his hand out. Z grabbed Ty's hand and eased him up onto his feet.

"You did good man, thanks for your help." He patted Ty's back before walking closer towards Alejandra's front.

Before he could place his hand on the door, it was pushed open by Marcus. He stretched his arms out as he stepped out into the dirt ground. He immediately started to perform an array of stretches as he moved out of the way for Roku to exit. The swordsman exited the coach and made sure to take in their surroundings. The land that was visible to them was extremely flat. Large patches of dirt spotted the ground as measly crops shot through feebly. Roku scratched the back of his head as a gust of wind blew through the area, knocking over some of the lifeless crops. 

"I think it's safe to say that this place isn't the most welcoming to tourists..." Roku stepped aside, allowing for Javier to make his exit too. The last member of the group rubbed his arms to try and shield himself from the cold. He looked around at the barren land and sucked his teeth.

"This is what you guys were pleading to see. A whole bunch of nothing! Are you satisfied now?!" Everyone cast their eyes upon Javier after his verbal outburst. He awaited their responses. Ty turned his head to the side as though the floor next to him suddenly became incredibly interesting. Marcus opened his mouth to say something, yet the right words were caught up in his throat. Roku had nothing to be ashamed of, so it was up to Z. And unsurprisingly, he had a few words he wanted to express.

"Of course, man! Look at this place!" Z spread his arms out as wide as he could, to which the group looked around at the barren wasteland. "There's bound to be something happening here. The trees? The lack of people? This is a classic case of 'Its time for some people to step in'!" The grin on his face couldn't begin to match the excitement that was boiling just beneath the surface of his skin. Marcus' face lit up slightly after the words started to settle among the group. Ty raised his head back up with a smirk. Roku nodded his head in agreement as they all turned back to face Javier.

 _"Ayúdame Dios..."_ Javier groaned as he placed his hand over his face. "Fine, fine. But there better be something worth exploring around here. Because if there isn't? You better sleep with one eye open." Z shrugged in response. He's heard worse threats.

"Where even are we?" Marcus piped up. This prompted Roku to dig around in his pocket and pull out a folded piece of paper. He opened up the paper until it reached a comical size. He struggled to keep the paper upright as he used his finger to trace over the path that they've been taking for the past couple of days.

"Mythfort."

"You can't deny the fact that the name sounds cool as hell," Ty spoke up, leaning against the side of Alejandra. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Well as you can see," Javier raised his arms," Expectations can't always be lived up to!"

"Eh, whatever."

"So, are we just going to stand here and talk all day or are we gonna actually start exploring?!"

* * *

Mythfort most definitely didn't live up to its fantastical name. The ground was laden with arid dirt, the air felt thick through the group's lungs and the land area was surprisingly barren. Many houses dotted the town. They were all haphazardly built and facing every which direction, it appeared as though there was absolutely no sense of order when these homes were erected. To make matters even worse, the buildings themselves weren't any better to look at. Holes were busted into the sides of these homes and a quick peep inside would make it clear that they were ransacked for their belongings. At one point, Z broke away from the pack to explore one of these trashed houses.

Z wasn't necessarily a tall person but even he felt like the interior of the house was suffocating. The ceiling was only a foot or so away from scraping the top of his head and the walls would make anyone feel a bout of claustrophobia hit them. The carpet covering the floor was a grungy mess as it was littered with stains. An overturned table and a metal kettle on the ground made the story of this room very cleary. Clear enough to a point that he decided that he didn't need to explore any further. With a quick turn, he made his way back to the others.   
  
The gang stopped in front of what looked to be a larger building in the middle of a cluster of homes. One could only assume that this meant they reached the heart of the town. There was a wooden board nailed onto the side of the building. Etched along the top of the board with very coarse letters was the word _'Notices'_. Javier leaned forwards and inspected what the sheets of paper were advertising to the people.

_Hello, all Mythfortians!_

_As you all know, living taxes have been raised!_

_Instead of the measly 50% of all earnings going to us, we have decided that a healthier 65% would make our job easier!_

_With love,_

_-Thaddeus._

The group all stared at the board in silence. The story behind the town was starting to become all the more clear. The thought's of the gang all swirled in their head. Until Ty broke the silence with a snicker. "Yo... who the hell names their kid 'Thaddeus' and can wholeheartedly say they're satisfied with that?" 

Z pinched the bridge of his nose right as the others tried to stifle their laughter. It was always pretty clear that Ty's sense of humour didn't always reach everyone in the audience. "This is serious! Now isn't the time for joking aroun-"

He stopped himself midsentence as his attention was brought back to the board. The rest of the group took a second or two to calm themselves down, but they had to reel themselves back to the situation at hand. Z's eyes were fixated on the centre of the noticeboard as there was one last piece of information they had left out. It was a poster.

A wanted poster.

The photo included was of a man with flowing black hair and stubble smothering his jaw. His nose protruded outwards as a pair of black, circular glasses hid his eyes. The smile on his face didn't even deserve the title of 'devilish', it needed something worse. The pose in the picture heavily implied that it was taken during an escape he was making, as thick clouds of smoke made up for the background of the picture. The rest of the poster made it clear that this was a man who should not be tested directly. And his bounty of Five Million Xotl only highlighted that statement. And to whom this poster belonged to? None other than a certain Thaddeus Hoskin.

Roku raised his hand to start talking. However, he couldn't find the words leaving his mouth as a shadow began to loom over the group. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all,
> 
> I'm sorry this took so long to finish, motivation was pretty hard to come by during the creation of this chapter. I can't say I'm especially satisfied with this one, but that's whatever. I've decided to make myself open to any questions people may have about the story and its characters that wouldn't organically come up. So if you wanted to know a certain character's height or their favourite colour, you could ask away in the replies or contact me directly on social media. 
> 
> Goodbye for now :]


	5. The full story

The group all twisted to look back at whoever (or whatever) was casting the shadow over them. The air felt incredibly thin as their eyes collectively fixated upon the being that was standing behind them. He was a whopping 3 metres tall and every single inch of him was covered in... skin. What made this skin so much more revolting than one would expect is that it was coloured with a range of different shades of muted blue and green. Several stitches stretched all over his body, which only made the group all that more uncomfortable. The only thing keeping this monster of a man from being naked was a pair of trousers that there just as stitched together as its owner. His greyed out eyes were locked with the group. The silence was deafening. Ty felt as though it was his responsibility to be the first one to break the ice.

"Hey man, you go-" Before he could finish his sentence, the patchwork man thrust his enormous fist into Ty's stomach. The size difference became all the more apparent as everyone noted that his entire fist was able to cover the teen's torso. The rest of the group could only watch in dread as the exchange was too fast for them to even react properly. Ty threw his head forwards and yelled as he was swept off of the ground. Saliva involuntarily flew out of his mouth as he yelled in pain, his body tensing as it began to register to what was happening to it. He zipped past everyone else as his back made contact with the noticeboard. The ancient wood barely stood a chance against the human missile he became. He past right through it and broke through the wall of the building. He shattered a portion of the wall and collided with whatever was inside of the establishment. It was too dark to make out what was specifically within the walls of the now tarnished building, but the sounds of glass shattering and people screaming were definitely not a good sign.

The other members of the group stared blankly at the hole that was made. Their wide eyes twitched. Their heads craned around to face off against the assailant which was still holding his fist stretched out. The tension grew increasingly and it was only a matter of time before someone made their next move. And that someone was Z. He leapt forwards with a reeled back fist. The man was able to notice this right as Z threw his punch with a yell. However, the very next moment Z could feel an immense amount of pressure surrounding his hand. Within the same moment, his punch was caught with a single large hand. The jagged nails of the monstrous man dug into Z's wrist, causing him to grit his teeth. The two grey orbs in the man's eye sockets focused on the teen he was dangling in the air. The others still on the ground were combat-ready, but this moment of silence caused them all to take a step back. Marcus unclenched his fists. Roku released the handle of his blade. Javier lowered his leg and planted it firmly onto the ground.

He opened his hand and allowed Z to drop back to the ground. He landed and didn't hesitate to crane his neck back up to maintain eye contact. The man parted his lips to speak in a faint voice. "Leave. Whilst you can..." With that, he turned to began his departure. With each step, the ground faintly shook. The group stared at the back of the freak's head. If their gazes could have been any more intense, the man would have caught alight.

"Ty!" Roku snapped out of his transfixed glare and ran towards the hole in the building. The others shook their heads as they brought themselves back to reality, heading back to where their attention truly should be.

They all stepped over the rubble and debris that was left on the ground as their eyes darted around the room. It was a large hall, with many circular tables littering the floor and drinks and oil lamps placed atop them. Yet people weren't seated around their tables. Men, women and children were all clamouring around a table in the centre of the room. The gang rushed over and pushed through, offering a slew of 'excuse me's and 'pardon's as they tried to make it towards the centre. The boys all stumbled slightly as they reached the table. They were met with Ty sitting upright. His hand was pressing against his side as a thick red liquid seeped out from between his fingers. Despite this, he still offered the group a warming smile.

"Took you guys long enough!" He laughed to himself as everyone watched him as though he was insane. An elderly man began to yell as he approached with the table - bucket and rag in both of his timeworn hands. 

"I thought I told you to remain still!" His voice quavering as he tried to yell. Many people of the crowd began to hobble towards him as a few adults tried to calm him down. "You have to relax!" Remarked one man. "Your bones are too brittle for this!" Yelled a woman. "I'm hungry!" Whined their child. All of the people soon broke out into commotion about how he needed to step away. All of this only caused his grip on the items in his hands to tighten. 

**"I'm not going to rest until these boys know our story dammit!"**

The entire room was silenced. The group of newcomers felt extremely out of place as everyone turned their heads towards them. Javier leaned over to Z and hissed in his ear, "What the hell did you get us into..?"

All Z could do was shrug.

* * *

Marcus finished tightening the gauze around Ty's waist. He gave him the thumbs up and he dropped his shirt back over his stomach. Javier panted as he leaned further back on his chair. 

"I swear to God... we did not need to park her that far away..." His breathlessness causing him to take a deep breath after speaking. Roku patted him on the shoulder to remind him that he did a good job, whether he felt it or not. Z clasped his hands and studied the man from his seat. The way how everyone insisted on him relaxing was interesting. There was no other explanation other than the importance this man was hiding from them. Z cleared his throat to capture his attention, pulling the elderly gentleman away from a conversation he was having with someone that definitely looked worse for wear.

"What's wrong, young one?" He inquired.

"I just want to know Mythfort's deal. The story if you will." Z responded.

"It's tale if you feel so inclined." Marcus chirped.

"It's legacy if you must," Ty added.

"The chronicle if you desire," Roku spoke.

"I'm not adding to your dumb joke," Javier stated bluntly as most of the group sighed. "I don't care if you had a thing going or whatever, let the man talk." He gestured towards the old man. He grabbed a nearby lamp and brought it closer to his face, illuminating the wrinkles and smoky-grey hair that danced around his face and head.

"Allow me to describe this to you. Set your minds back to about two years ago..."

*****

Mythfort's luscious greenery swayed back and forth hypnotically. One farmer dug his hoe into the ground and whistled. He wiped his brow and looked up. The bright sky plus the pleasant heat made for a perfect atmosphere. Another farmer walked up and grabbed his shoulder. The two started to strike up a conversation as they stood in the middle of their field. The distant sounds of cows mooing added to the ambience. Maize plants surround them, making for a high-wasted sea of green to wade through as they journeyed back towards the cottage in the distance. 

"Say, what do you think of those things those outsiders keep bringing?" The first man brought up. 

"What do they call them... Phones? They seem mighty useful to me! You're telling me I can speak to anyone around this world without going to their face! That is genius!" The two began to chortle with laughter as they trudged on back to their home.

The centre of the town was bustling with many stalls set up advertising their goods. Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and all sorts of vegetables were being showcased within wooden boxes. Women called out to any of those walking by to try and grab their attention. Sales were necessary after all. Children ran up and down along the road as though nothing were amiss. They screamed and yelled at each other as they darted back and forth between each other.

Tourists walked through the centre of the town and felt amazement practically oozing out of themselves. They took their phones out and snapped pictures of the classical buildings they were surrounded by. Photos were taken of the aforementioned stalls and the people running them. One member of the passing tourists even asked one of the stall owners for a quick picture. It only took a couple of minutes of explaining before the two of them were posing off in front of the camera. A different member of the group took off their sunglasses and handed them over to the Mythfortian resident as a present to welcome them to the current year.

Mythfort was finally thriving.

~

After roughly seven months of prospering, reality settled upon the land. The glossy lifestyle of the modern world blinded them to the truth. The world they were not used to had tyrants running around, and they were severely underprepared. 

The elderly man raised his blade at the tall gentleman standing before him. His armour rattled as he shook violently underneath it. The fact that he was able to still stand after wearing that clunky mess of metal was a miracle in of itself. "I'm not going to let you rain terror upon this land! My home shall go forth untouched, you scoundrel!" He kept the tip of his blade trained upon the gentleman. The newcomer used a singular finger to push his circular glassed back up his sleek nose.

"Are you done?" He raised his hand and yawned, which only infuriated what could only be described as the knight even further. "Eldin, you say your name was? You got a nice place here, I gotta say. Bit dusty but we'll work on that." 

Eldin had enough. This nonchalant tone, his uncaring posture and lack of sincerity all culminated into one massive ball of disrespect. His scrawny arms barely lifted the sword into the air before directing a slash at the man. He glanced up whilst the sword came down and smiled. The gentleman raised his hand and caught the blade within his palm. There was no hesitation in his action. He just acted without care. Eldin struggled to remove the blade from his grip, yet fighting back proved to be fruitless. He clenched the raw metal and yanked the sword away from his grip. With a short glance through his glasses, he chucked the sword over his shoulder as though it were nothing. It clattered as it collided with the stone ground, echoing through the empty town. The man inspected his palm with a glance, noting that there was no bleeding. He snapped his fingers.

"Boys! We got some work to do!" His calm demeanour twisted into that of a demented one. Four figures emerged from behind him - outnumbering Eldin completely. The man's laughter chorused throughout the streets as the figures made their advancements. All Eldin could do was watch in dismay.

Mythfort didn't even survive a day.

~

A farmer walked out of what he could barely describe as a home. An immense chunk of the home was gone. He watched out at the arid and desolate land that used to be his own farm. The sight of scattered maize barely pushing through caused his lips to tremble ever so slightly. His hard work? Gone. His earnings? Reduced. His family? Starving. He could hear an infant begin to cry from within his sordid excuse of a home, and all this did was tighten the air around him. He gasped as his eyes began to gloss over. His knees buckled underneath his own weight. The farmer dropped to the ground, allowing his own tears to flow along with his child.

The centre of Mythfort was no longer a bustling hub. It was empty. Houses barely resembled what they used to. Piles of stone were strewn across the ground. The faint sound of someone sobbing was always around the corner at Mythfort now. All of this sorrow and despair neatly wrapped within the centre of a forest which was said to be magical. But only magical in a sense that it kept those within trapped. To say this land fell from grace would be unfair, as that would imply it was starting from a high point. 

Mythfort didn't fall from grace.

It fell from mediocrity.

*

"And now we are here." Eldin finished.

The entire hall fell silent to allow the man to recount the events. Many people cast their eyes onto the ground. A faint yet simultaneously deafening cry began at one end of the large room. 

The group sat there, joining everyone else in silence. Every member let his words repeat within their minds. And it was infuriating. 

They all stood up from their seats, overturning the chairs and disrupting the silence. Most resident's flinched at their sudden movements. Eldin followed them with his eyes. Z leaned forwards and asked a simple question: "Where is he?"

"W-We have reason to believe that he resides within the castle found south from here. It belonged to a royal family that passed on decades ago." He responded. The old man began to process what exactly was about to happen, and mixed emotions began to churn away at his insides. 

The gang all turned around in unison. They took their steps towards the gaping hole left in the wall, beginning their exit. One member of the crowd couldn't bear to hold her tongue any more and yelled, "You're injured! You can't plan on fighting in that state!" Ty knew that statement was directed towards him. He raised his hand, acknowledging her yet choosing not to stray away from the path he was taking.

Javier rolled his shoulders.

Roku gripped the handle of his sword.

Ty cracked his knuckles.

Marcus clenched his fists.

Z lead the way.

Eldin watched as they all made their exit. His hands trembled as they reached up to his face. He whined with his ever so coarse throat and lowered his head. "Please..." He muttered. His vision became hazy. Seeing through the tears building up in his eyes proved to be a challenge. Yet he persisted on looking up with his head tilted high.

_**"Please help us!"** _


	6. A grand entrance

The gang had been walking for quite a while, They left the thinly populated town and continued on southwards. The ground became laden with dirt, with a surprising lack of foliage sprouting from the floor. The longer their journey went on, the more the landscape around them changed. Instead of walking through an expanse of dirt, they found themselves being surrounded by a thick white haze. This bore a striking resemblance to the fog that surrounded Mythfort's entrance, but this didn't deter the group in the slightest. They pressed on, keeping their witts about themselves. 

The mist proved no challenge to them at all. Pressing on forth brought the group to a halt momentarily. A forest stood before them. However, there were no metal rings surrounding the bases of these trees. They were sparsely spread out, which further proved that this space of greenery was natural. There was one factor that made one member of the group hesitate to venture forth.

Marcus raised his hand forwards and pointed. "Don't you guys feel thrown off by how much darker it gets? That can't be natural." Him breaking the silence broke the others out of the vengeance filled trance they had thrown themselves into. The others focused on the forest and indeed, Marcus' observation was correct. There was a slightly ominous presence from within the woods, that much was undeniable. 

"So? That's not stopping us if that's what you're thinking." Javier responded, not even looking as Marcus as he spoke. 

"If anything, that just means we're headed in the right direction!" Z added, his gaze locked onto the woods ahead. 

Ty was the first one to continue on walking. Javier soon followed and Z wasted no time in picking up the pace. A defeated look rested on Marcus' features as he prepared to walk ahead too. What stopped him, however, was a firm hand resting on his shoulder. He glanced back to see Roku holding him back.

"You're scared." He asked. There was no mocking tone behind his voice or smile on his face. Just a genuine statement passing his lips.

Marcus scoffed at Roku's accurate analysis. "I'm not scared. I was just making an obs-"

"I wasn't asking if you were."

The younger teen had to catch himself after Roku cut him off midsentence. "...Of course I am..! Don't you see what we're walking towards? It may as well be a massive sign that says: 'Danger, Doom Impending'!" Marcus returned, gesturing wildly at the admittedly unsettling darkness.

"If you feel like you're about to panic, try counting your breaths. It should help put you at ease somewhat. Remember, it's okay to be scared at times. Those guys are something else when it comes to fear. Don't let their attitude intimidate you, just feel how you want to." Roku patted Marcus' shoulder twice before walking ahead. He untied the sageo that was connecting his scabbard to his trousers and his sword rest on his shoulder. Marcus watched him as he walked on ahead, allowing his words to repeat inside his head.

"Yeah... Those guys are something else when it comes to fear... But that doesn't mean I can't work towards being like them..." He gulped before jogging to catch up with the others.

* * *

The gang trudged on through the wooded area. The floor was carpeted with dead and dying leaves, making a constant crunching sound as the unit continued with their journey. The trees continued to grow in height as they walked, making light scarce. Marcus was constantly fiddling with his fingers to help keep himself calm. His eyes darted around relentlessly, noting things such as trees that had been cut down and the various colours of leaves on the floor. He jumped as he felt something jab at his side. He swung his head around immediately to see Roku giving him a thumbs up. The older teen mouthed 'You're doing great!' to inspire courage within the younger member of the group. Fortunately, this did just the trick. Marcus' face brightened up with a newfound determination as he walked.

"So, what's the plan once we get there?" Ty asked, putting everyone on the spot.

"Well... Eldin's story did state that there were five perpetrators, so it's in our interest to try and fight one each." Z responded, placing his hands into his pockets as he eased himself slightly.

"Whose to say that some of them didn't skip town after their mission was over, though?" Javier vocalised, which prompted the others back into thinking.

"Well, then we all get to gang up on those that were dumb enough to stay back," Marcus added.

"That's the spirit!" Javier bumped the back of Marcus' shoulder with his fist, jerking him forwards slightly. Roku watched in silence with a smirk on his face.

There wasn't much time between their conversation and their arrival. The thickness of the forest alleviated and showed off the very thing they had been looking out for. Massive stone walls had been erected within the centre of what resembled a fantastical forest. The stone itself was caked with moss and weeds, only emphasising the amount of time this place spent isolated. The walls of stone stretched out into circular towers that overlooked anyone that dares to try and enter. The towers were decorated with intricate swirling patterns that were engraved into the stone, making for a beautiful design that was being held back by the overgrown greenery. From the very top of one of these towers, a flag was draped. The lack of wind made it difficult to tell what the design of the flag was, but it was clear that whatever being flown was meant to represent Thaddeus. With a bit of squinting and some stepping back, the group was able to see the keep of the castle kept safely and securely within the walls. The only thing separating them from the portcullis was a long stretch of dirt that acted as a road. The group turned away from the fortress and huddled into a circle. 

"Alright, here's what I'm thinking," Z started, "We have no reason to believe that he knows we're coming, so we should definitely use the element of surprise to our benefit."

"That's cool and all, but we need someone to be our lookout. Once they find out we're here, all hell is gonna break loose. We need someone to stay out here and make sure no one goes in or comes outside." Javier noted, to which prompted a response from Roku.

"I'll stay here, you all go in."

"Then it's settled! Roku will stay out here whilst Javier, Marcus, Ty and I will sneak in under the portcullis." Z affirmed.

"...What's a portcullis?" Marcus had to ask.

"The big metal ga-"

Javier placed his hand in front of Z's face to silence him. The rest of the group gave his confused glances, awaiting his reasoning for his sudden action.

_**"Where the hell is Tyler?"** _

They all looked at each other and only then realised that they were one person short. Each and every remaining member of the group frantically spun around to see him making a mad dash to the portcullis. Ty grabbed at the gauze and yanked it away from his body. He held the bloodied fabric above his head as he yelled out loud.

"Franken-Freak! You did this to me, so I'm coming in there to return the damn favour!" There was absolutely no subtlety behind his actions. He was making himself loud and clear.

The rest of the gang were practically awestruck at his behaviour. Utterly speechless. Roku had to shake himself free from his shocked state and push the others.

"You all may as well get going now! Go!" He ushered.

Z stumbled over himself but raised up to his feet, darting towards his friend. Javier wasted absolutely no time in pacing himself and catching up. Marcus hung back behind the group slightly. He glanced over his shoulder and waved off to Roku, who gave a wide wave back from the distance between them. 

Ty approached the metal grating that was keeping them locked outside of the stone fortress. The gate itself was approximately five times taller than himself, whilst also being roughly fifty centimetres in thickness. Metal bolts hung in front of the gate, showing off just how securely the entrance was built up to me. Yet Ty didn't slow down. His eyes were fixated on the obstacle, and he knew very well about what he should do next. As soon as he got close enough, he leapt into the air. He travelled parallel to the ground - soaring closer and closer to the reshaped steel. He jutted his leg out and struck the centre of the steel wall. A godawful clang reverberated through the air as he screamed with anger. The metal twisted and turned, taking in the massive dent he put into the gate. It flew right through the stone tunnel of an entrance, soaring into the centre of the bailey. The physics didn't even resemble that of something made of metal. In fact, it was more akin to cardboard at that point.

The other members watched his reckless act from afar. Javier gritted his teeth as he continued to venture into the entrance.

"Don't let me catch up to you, because I'm gonna wring your neck!"


	7. Adding fuel to the fire

The portcullis landed in the courtyard. The sound it created was unbearable to those nearby, prompting both Z and Javier to cover their ears. Marcus glanced over at both of them as he ran ahead. Ty landed back onto the dirt ground, gravel shifting around beneath his shoes. Marcus darted past him and entered the bailey of the castle. It was a vast piece of ground. Gravel covered the entire floor, so each and every step the boy took was quite audible. What caught his attention were the stalls that were lined up against the walls of the castle. They were worn down and full of grot, but they were still there nonetheless. The next piece of items that caught his eyes were several crates and nylon bags that were tied up in the centre of the area. One of the bags had been sliced open thanks to Ty's stunt, and its contents had spilt out onto the floor. Naturally, Marcus went forth to investigate.

Ty was rearing to go ahead once again, but two hands grabbing either of his shoulders stopped him in his place. He looked back, staring at Z and Javier holding him in his place.

"What gives?!" He snarled back at the two. "Aren't we supposed to be storming this place?!"

"No! That's, like, the exact opposite of what our plan was!" Z yelled in return. 

"We were gonna sneak in here! You know, use the element of surprise to our benefit!" Javier added, causing Ty to recoil.

"You guys know damn well that I hate stealth with a burning passion. And anyway, they weren't expecting what I was doing, so we still surprised them!" Ty rebutted. The two stared at him in mild disbelief.

"That's not how it works! We're supposed to be close to them for it to be effective!" Z could feel his anger spilling out with each and every word he shouted.

"You do know you're making more noise than me, right?" Ty quietly responded, eliciting a response from Javier. The oldest of the group cupped his hands over his face and began yelling. Most of what he said was incomprehensible and in another language, but his volume definitely made his emotions clear.

 _"¡Te juro por Dios todopoderoso que uno de estos días te voy a matar!"_ Javier shrieked in between the noises of sheer frustration he made. The others watched on from the side in silence, knowing very well that it was best to leave him alone. Z raised his hand knocked Ty's chest with the back of his fist.

"This conversation between us isn't over." He hissed through gritted teeth, which caused Ty to roll his eyes. It wasn't like he was going to pay attention. anyway.

"Hey! You guys! Quit messing around and look at this!" Marcus called out, drawing the attention of the others. Javier forced himself to take multiple deep breathes before walking over to Marcus. His nose twitched slightly as he came closer to the sacks and crates. The scents he was picking up weren't necessarily bad. As a matter of fact, they were quite the opposite. The aromas in the air were rather familiar. Marcus stepped aside and allowed him the chance to investigate. Around then was when Z and Ty caught up. 

Javier placed his hand on one of the boxes and ripped its cover off. The scent of its contents became extremely pungent as it was exposed to the air. All members of the group were forced to cover their noses as they peered into the box. It was filled to the brim with a red powder that burned away at their eyes. Marcus stepped away and blinked rapidly, trying to see through the tears that had built up in his eyes. 

"Y-You guys do know what that is, right?" He questioned through a shaky voice.

"That's gotta be some kinda spice... Has one hell of a burn to it as well!" Z responded, furiously rubbing away at his eyes.

Ty leaned forwards and slammed the lid shut, wiping away the tears that were streaming down his face. "That was like taking damn tear gas to the face! What does this guy plan on doing, burning the tongues of his enemies?!"

Javier inspected the other crates and watched the contents through the slits of the boxes. The crates were all filled with produce. Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and more were all stuffed into the boxes. Z stepped forth and picked up one of the nylon bags gently. He leaned his head back as he precariously opened the bag. It was stuffed with relatively fresh wheat. Z allowed himself to relax as he set the bag back down onto the floor. But all this did was bring up one massive question.

"What's he doing with all this stuff?" Marcus pondered. All of the members of the group scratched their chins as they began to think.  
  
"Maybe he wants to get into cooking?" Ty brought up, bringing out a sigh from Z.

"You think he would go through all this trouble of taking over a damn town just for cooking?" Z snapped back.

"Fair point..." Ty returned to thinking.

The group shared a minute of silence before Javier snapped his fingers. "It's so obvious, I'm surprised we didn't get this sooner." The rest of the group cocked their heads at him, signalling for him to continue. "We know Mythfort was brought from the past, right? That means that everything that comes from here is from a different era. The stuff from here is rare to a fault, so that means..." Javier rotated his wrist, gesturing for someone else to continue. Z's eyes widened as he pieced together what was happening.

"Everything that comes from here is worth a fortune out there! This whole town should be placed in a museum!" Javier nodded his head as soon as Z finished. Ty and Marcus both gasped as everything was made all the more clear.

"The place has been sitting on a whole heap of cash and yet they never got their money! How the heck is that fair?!" Marcus added.

"It ain't. And that asshole Thaddeus knew to take advantage of that." Ty added with a surprisingly serious tone to him. "It looks like he's been stealing these guys' food and money for a while now, and pocketing any profits he's made for himself." 

Z slammed his hand atop one of the crates, grabbing the attention of everyone.

"This ain't even a fight about taking this place back anymore, it's about giving back what these guys deserve." 

All five of them nodded in agreement as they faced the keep, the tower that had been overlooking them the whole time. A large pair of wooden doors made up the entrance to the brick tower; they were decorated with swirling iron patterns. The group walked around the stolen cargo and towards their next destination. The gravel made the silence among them all the more potent. With each crunch beneath their feet, they were coming closer and closer to liberation.

The doors towered over the group, yet they refused to yield. They all placed their hands forwards and pushed together. The doors created a horrible creaking noise as they were pushed back to their open position. Before anyone could make out what was before them, a huge gust of wind forced everyone to raise their guard. They all raised their arms before their faces to defend their eyes, yet nothing could be done for their ears. The wind howled against them, making it difficult for anyone to hear anything.

Fortunately for them, this experience was brief. It took a moment for the wind to die down, letting them ease themselves. "Is everyone alright?" Z asked, prompting a reassuring 'Yeah' from both Javier and Ty. Yet there was one voice missing. Marcus was missing from the scene. The group frantically swung their heads around to try and find him, yet all they found were two stretching parallel divots of gravel leading from where he was last seen to back out of the bailey. Any crates that happened to be in this path were destroyed, and their contents were still spilling out onto the ground.

"I knew he didn't weigh much, but that's just ridiculous..." Ty commented. Javier didn't even hesitate to smack him on the back of the head for making such a comment.

"There must have been someone behind that wind... But he can handle himself well. We'll find him afterwards." Z shook his head as he turned back to the entrance before them. It was dim, so making out anything was difficult. But that didn't stop him. He took a step forward into the keep and the others followed.

* * *

A figure watched the doors be opened from atop one of the towers. They crossed their arms and smirked, knowing very well that the group were collectively heading into serious danger. Yet, that demeanour was dropped immediately after the gust of wind rushed through the group. He watched the gravel get kicked up into the air as the smallest boy of the gang seemingly disappeared. 

"That damn asshole is going to ruin everything!" A masculine voice hissed out just before the figure jumped down from the tower, exiting the castle and starting his pursuit.


	8. Double trouble

Marcus raised his hands alongside everyone else. He tensed himself as he pushed forwards along with the rest of the group. The creak of the door was a painfully annoying sound, yet he pushed through it. However, the noise was not the only painful thing that struck him. Right as the doors opened fully, a pair of large hands gripped at Marcus' wrists. The force of these hands pushed him backwards with such force that he barely had much time to register what was going on. He quickly felt sharp pains jab away at his back as he was dragged through the wooden crates. The teen had to power through all of this; the grip of the hands was too much for him. He trained his focused ahead to at least see who was pushing him back.

The being behind the attack was not something he was expecting. Hair sprouted out of the backs of the dark, bony hands that had such a strong grip upon him. Sharp yellow nails dug slightly into Marcus' skin as he attempted to fight back. The arms that belonged to these hands were gangly and thin. The bones beneath the skin were almost visible. The most striking feature of this person were the bat-like wings that connected from their wrists all the way to the sides of their gaunt chest. They wore no clothes except a pair of torn trousers that barely hid their thin legs. One glance at their face was enough to put Marcus off his food for weeks. Their skin clung to their skull, making their disturbingly sharp yellow eyes more prominent. The centre of their face looked as though it was punched inwards, as their nose was stumpy and wide. A hunger-filled smile was smeared across their face; this drew attention to their rotting teeth and abhorrent breath. Their slimy tongue trailed out of their mouth and swung in the wind. Truly, Marcus was facing off against a beast.

The monster threw its hands forwards, launching Marcus even further back. The boy was completely clear of the bailey at that point. His head scraped against the dirt ground as he tumbled into the forest. He staggered slightly as he raised back up to his feet. Looking dead ahead, he saw the foul monster still approaching with its mouth agape. Marcus gripped onto his arm tightly as pain shot through it. His fight or flight instinct kicked in as he had a moment of calmness. He turned on his heels and darted, venturing deeper into the forest.

* * *

Marcus did all he could to control his breathing. He counted every breath he took as he dashed through the woods. Agitation filled his entire body as he rested against one of the immense pillars of nature. He turned his head and stared back at the darkness surrounding him. It was silent. At least that meant he was alone; Marcus never thought he would be thankful for being alone in a forest. He sunk down along the tree onto the crispy leaves. The teen closed his eyes and allowed himself the chance to concentrate. 

"So, I'm facing off against some kinda... bat person...?" He spoke to himself. "What kinda weakness would they even have?"

This moment of preparation was cut short. The sound of something rustling in the distance caused Marcus to open his eyes faster than he ever had before. He scrambled around to try and get back up onto his feet, yet the leaves kept on sliding away from under his feet. The constant sound of leaves crunching in the distance only made him tenser. He twisted his head towards the direction of all the sound. With a slight squint, he could see some sort of bipedal figure rushing towards him. They were different from the bat-person he encountered before as the lack of wings made it clear. This figure, however, was also on the offensive. They held some sort of club in their hand as they approached him. He could not calm himself down, even if he tried. The frantic nature of his movements was making his escape near impossible. Marcus closed his eyes. Maybe he could handle the oncoming hit?

The sound of metal clashing caused Marcus to tense. He held onto his arms as he waited for the pain to settle. Yet, it never arrived. The teen slowly opened his eyes back up to be greeted with the best sight he could have asked for.

Roku stood there with his sword drawn. Both hands gripped upon its handle as he blocked the oncoming attack just in the nick of time. Both parties struggled against each other, making it clear from the get-go that their levels of power were comparable. Roku took a sharp breath inwards before pushing his hands forwards, launching his opponent backwards. He turned back to Marcus and offered a toothy grin.

Words couldn’t begin to describe the happiness that swelled up inside of him. Marcus finally got back up onto his feet. He prepared his thank you for his friend, yet Roku raised his hand into his face.

“I saw that bat-thing that pushed you. Go after them. Meet me back at the castle entrance, I’ll be there soon.” Roku stated. Marcus wanted to say something in return, yet the shock of the attack was still leaving his body. He nodded and turned away, running off into the darkness once more.

Roku tilted the blade in his hand so he could get a better look at its edge. The sleek steel still held it’s shape, showing no sign of damage. “Suzaku… Let’s get this over and done with.” He raised his head to get a better look at his foe.

The being that emerged was definitely human-like up close. But that was the only ‘normal’ feature to them. Every inch of their skin was red. From the bottom of their exposed feet to the top of their head. Two horn pointed directly upwards, intersecting with the perfectly white hair that sprouted out from their scalp. A scrappy cloth was bound across their chest and baggy faded lime trousers. Both Roku and their eye's locked. The sclera of their eyes was pitch black, which only accentuated their blood-red iris'. The beastly man raised a hand and patted his chest, speaking only one singular word: "Asinoe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! This is the section where I get to answer questions you guys ask about the characters, lore and more. Thanks for the submissions, it means a lot.
> 
> 1) What is Javier's favourite colour? 
> 
> Well, it's Azure. He's a guy that likes calming experiences deep down, so that shade of blue really reminds him of the sea and the sky.
> 
> 2) What are the group's hair colours, eye colours and dates of birth?
> 
> Damn, someone really wants to squeeze me for info, huh?
> 
> Everyone in the group has black hair aside from Roku, his is dark brown. The gang all shares dark brown eyes completely. This really shows my lack of creativity for these finer details, yeesh.
> 
> Z's birthday is the 27th of August  
> Marcus' birthday is the 5th of April  
> Ty's birthday is the 12th of March  
> Javier's birthday is the 1st of January  
> Roku's birthday is the 2nd of November
> 
> Thank you all for the asks! You can send more in the comments here or through any other way of contacting me (if you know, you know). I also want to apologise for the shorter chapter. I was planning on making it longer but I've decided to split this one off into the upcoming chapter, so that should be coming soon.


	9. Roku Vs. Asinoe

Roku raised his own hand and tapped his won chest. “Roku.” He stated firmly, making himself well known. He eyed his soon-to-be opponent up and down. “I never thought I would meet an Oni in real life, much less think about whether they exist or not.” He tried to squeeze in some form of information out of the monster before they got down to the gritty side of business.

Asinoe raised the weapon in his hand and pointed it directly at Roku. He held a long metal club. The main body was full of studs to maximise the amount of damage it would do to any of its unfortunate opponent’s. The handle he held onto was wrapped with what looked to be a faded strip of cloth. “Less talking. Both of us have business here and I’d hate to make this longer than it needs to be.”

The swordsman sighed as he readied himself. “Welp, don’t complain if this match becomes too hot for your liking.” There was a grin that landed on his face, making even Asinoe feel a sense of worth coming from him.

The two charged directly towards each other. The leaves crunched and crackled as they approached. They raised their weapons and brought them down simultaneously, causing another clash to begin between them. Roku grunted as his blade was caught against one of the studs of Asinoe’s kanabō. They both struggled against each other, which only made the air tenser. Unfortunately, this clash went into the demon’s favour. Asinoe was able to push Roku backwards. The teen skidded along the ground, kicking up all the dying leaves surrounding him. He left two perfect trails of uprooted dirt.

‘It looks like overpowering a collision with him is off the table…’ Roku thought to himself as he slowed down. His ankles suffered slightly from the strain of sliding back, but he would deal with it. He focused on his opponent, knowing very well that something was coming up soon. Asinoe watched as he skidded away. He internally admitted that the boy was stronger than he appeared, but there was no way he would compliment an opponent on the battlefield.

The monster huffed as he threw his weapon back onto the floor. He opened his hand into a claw formation, showing off the sharpness of his nails. He stamped one of his feet onto the ground before thrusting a hand directly into the tree beside him. Roku felt the very ground itself tremble beneath his feet. The veins on Asinoe’s arm were close to popping as it began to raise. There was an almighty crash he uprooted the tree with nothing but his single hand. Roku’s eyes widened as he took a step back. His opponent swung the now dying timber above his head. Doing so demolished some of the surrounding trees.

Roku was forced to leap to the side as one of these falling pieces of lumber almost fell onto him. The thud that emanated from it was slightly disorientating, yet he had to maintain his composure if he wished to win. Beads of sweat started to race down his face as he kept up with the falling trees. Asinoe showed little sign of slowing down with his oversized baton technique. Seeing all of these falling trees set Roku’s mind on autopilot. Perhaps he could turn this situation to favour himself? Asinoe was perfectly stationary throughout the attack, which gave Roku an idea.

The teen side-stepped one other chunk of bark. He gripped onto Suzaku’s handle tightly. He threw himself directly at the red-skinned demon. Asinoe felt surprise surge throughout his entire body as the teen approached with such confidence. He brandished the blade in his hand without an ounce of uncertainty. If he wanted to secure some safety, he would have to act quickly. Asinoe lowered the now shattered tree in his palm. He held it up with his spare hand as he removed his fingers from inside of it. The demon held the dead tree above his head with his hands. Roku continued with his approach, choosing to not be intimidated by the new stance his opponent took.

Without another moment’s notice, Asinoe hurled the tree directly towards the swordsman. Yet he still refused to yield. The swordsman tilted his head up as the massive object soared towards him. He smirked before leaping into the air. He headed straight towards what would be his defeat with nothing but a cocky smile on his face and his trusted katana in his hand. Roku twisted his sword-bearing arm around himself as he wound up his counterstrike. He yelled as he twisted, he slashed at the wood before himself. Suzaku glided through the bark as if it were nothing. This was the power of the blade that was bestowed unto him. After his horizontal slash connected, he raised his arm and delivered a swift vertical slash to seal the deal.

From ground level, Asinoe watched in astonishment. The tree fell apart into four equal pieces before hitting the ground. Each piece shook the ground ever so slightly. Roku landed on his two feet a small distance away from what he had diced up. He slid the back of the blade against the entrance of the scabbard before sheathing his blade completely. The demon’s jaw dropped slightly, revealing white fangs and a blue tongue that were initially hidden away.

“I have to say, this was quite disappointing. When I first saw you, I thought about the tales I was told about when I was younger. You guys seemed so scary in the stories. Yet here you are, not even able to land a single hit on me.”

The demon was taken aback by the words that came out of his mouth. He gritted his pearly white teeth before hissing back. “Shut your insolent mouth! This altercation has been nothing but a waste of time! With this next attack, I’ll bury you into the ground!” He reached down and snatched his kanabō back into his possession.

Roku clenched both of his fists. “Likewise.”

Asinoe raised his weapon above his head as he charged forwards. He released a battle cry as he closed the gap between them. The swordsman did not just stand there, however. He dashed forwards in silence. His head was tilted downwards, and his grip was steadfast on the handle of his sword. His other hand was secured around his scabbard. Both were sure they were going to be the victor.

The exchange between them went by in the blink of an eye. The two stood with their backs facing each other in the centre of the destroyed woods. They held their weapons downwards, signifying the fact that neither of them had any further intention of fighting. Roku was the first to make another move. Yet again, he slides the back of his blade against the entrance of its scabbard. He gently eased his sword back into where it belonged. With only the collar of the blade exposed, he spoke softly.

**_「炎のスタイル：犬の足」_ **

(Honō no sutairu: Inu no ashi/Flame style: Dog’s Paw)

The trees around them caught alight as soon as his sword was stowed away properly. The orange fires glowed and roared as Roku stood there calmly. Feeling the warmth surround him was comforting, but the same could not be said for the person standing behind him. A clear line of heat struck across Asinoe’s chest. The demon shrieked and dropped his weapon, admitting defeat as the weaker fighter. He dropped back onto the ground and desperately tried to pat away at the burning sensation. Roku watched in silence as he writhed about. The jerking movements did not last for that much longer. All of the pain from the strike combined with the flames put him in a state of shock, rendering him unconscious. Roku was the winner.

The swordsman then turned around and watched as the fires continued to burn on without his influence. He placed a hand onto his chin and stroked it gently as he thought to himself.

“How on earth am I going to put this out?!”


	10. Marcus: The Beast Tamer

Marcus scurried off from the skirmish. He heard another clash between their weapons and took that as a sign of their battle heating up. But there was no time for him to be standing around and watching idly. He ran further and further away from their duel, knowing very well that he had his own enemy to defeat.

He stood in the middle of a collection of trees. He placed his hand against one of their trunks and sighed heavily. Running away from someone willing to fight was one thing but waiting for them to get the jump on you is another. He craned his head upwards; watching the dark clouds meander on without a care in the world. “Come on…” Marcus muttered as he waited. Fortunately for him, his opponent was a rather punctual being.

The silhouette of a winged beast was barely visible up in the sky, but Marcus was able to eye him out. He released the tree and ran along the ground. “So, I know he’s partway bat. How can I use that to my advantage...?” The being up in the air held his wings close to his body, diving back down to the ground. A quick glance over his shoulder alerted Marcus that his fight was soon to be underway.

The beastly man wandered on the ground; wings detracted back inside of his slender body. His neck craned around constantly. He tried his darndest to eye out wherever his target was. Thanks to the plethora of trees surrounding him, Marcus had ample cover to hide and strategize. He dragged his unsightly feet along the ground, rustling all the dead leaves in the process. The teen kept a hand clasped over his mouth to ensure he kept his silence whilst the monster continued his search.

He stepped out from behind one of the trees once there was a fair bit of distance between them. Marcus crept as slowly as he could to eliminate any chance of making a noise. Maybe he could use a sneak strike to his advantage? His approach to the being was slow and full of tension. The monster had stopped completely in his tracks for no apparent reason. Marcus did not think much of this, however. His feet could not be pressing on the floor any lighter than they already were.

The beast craned his neck upwards and glared at the darkened sky. The teen stopped in place momentarily due to the sudden movement. The monster remained stationary before releasing an awful screech. Marcus had to raise his hands over his ears to stop listening to the ghastly noise. The screech was not potent enough to deal any sort of actual damage, it was just plain annoying. Once the beastly man closed his mouth, he swung his head around to face Marcus. He felt himself freeze in place as the monster lunged. A gangly arm swung forth and connect directly with his stomach, launching Marcus back in the opposite direction.

He grunted as his back slammed against a tree. He shook a few leaves and acorns from off its branches just from taking the hit. Marcus raised his head and saw the bat-person approaching him with his teeth bared. There was no explanation needed for what he was planning to do next. The teen got back up onto his feet and focused momentarily. Upon the legs of his trouser legs, words started to form from nowhere. The line art was clear and bubbly; the text itself was filled with a vibrant shade of green. The words that appeared were none other than _‘Boing’_ in all capital letters. Marcus breathed in before shouting:

**_“Spring Stance!”_ **

Before the bat-freak could sink his teeth into the strapping lad, he took off from the ground. He landed face-first into the tree, sinking his teeth deep into the bark. He tried to yank his teeth away from the wooden enclosure yet struggled to do so.

Marcus watched from a higher vantage point. He gripped onto a branch tightly, dangling from a few meters off the ground. Fortunately for him, the branch he launched himself towards was rather thick. He pulled himself up onto the branch precariously before allowing himself the chance to settle. Being so high up in the air allowed him the chance to eye out the spot of Roku’s current skirmish. He could just about spot a tree being separated into equal pieces, which was a good sign in his eyes. But Roku’s current position should not be any of his concern for the time being.

“He yelled and then saw me… What gives?” Marcus’ eyes wandered up to the overcast skies. The biting chill of the air settled in, causing him to grab his arms and rub them slowly. He tried his best to ignore the repetitive throaty screaming coming from the base of the tree. The constant sound was more than distracting for him. He rubbed his temples as he groaned. “If only he could shut up for like, five minu-“ His eyes snapped down at the being beneath him. His foe had just yanked his teeth free of the tree. The look of questioning on Marcus’ face slowly disappeared as he pieced together the answer. “You used some sort of echolocation just then, didn’t you?” He smirked to himself as he felt a slight sense of pride overcome him. Yet that internal celebration was short-lived since the bat-person had spread his wings back out again.

He started to flap his arms up and down. The vast wingspan underneath his arms kicked up all sorts of leaves and twigs from off the ground. Marcus steadily raised up to his feet. His hand was pressed against the trunk of the tree to stabilize himself. The beady yellow eyes from down bellow connected with his. But now the tides had turned. He had no further reason to run away from the fight, his planning phase was over. The wind blew against him. His clothes blew in the wind, floating away from his body. He placed a fist in his hands and cracked his knuckles. The beast from before was gaining more altitude by the second. He used his feet to grapple on the trunk, essentially running up along the tree. Marcus released the tree and jumped.

A confused clicking noise was produced by the beast. He was not expecting to see the man throwing himself at him. He had the chance to dodge the oncoming assault, yet his feet were clamped to the tree. Marcus yelled as he collided with the monster, wrapping his arms around his neck. He shrieked as he was yanked backwards. His talon-like feet were still wedged within the trunk, so they remained suspended in the air. He turned around and caught a glimpse of the teen. Marcus had manoeuvred himself behind the beast, gripping onto his arms tightly for support. He thrashed and screeched as an attempt to free himself from the young hero’s grasp. Yet his actions were fruitless. Marcus was clinging on for dear life as he had somehow forgotten just how high up they really were.

His opponent swung himself around, sparing him no relief from the abhorrent screeching and clicking. Marcus furrowed his brow as he prepared his counterattack. He released one of his hands and reeled back. Yet again, text started to appear in his palm. The line art was jagged and sharp; the shade of blue that filled it was luminescent. The text read as _‘Zap’_ , in all capital letters. Marcus inhaled sharply before yelling:

**_“Shocking Palm!”_ **

He drove his palm into the side of the beast’s face. A current wasted no time in surging through his body. He shook violently as his body ceased up from the attack. He released an awful yell of pain before his body involuntarily relaxed. His grip on the trunk completely released. Marcus jumped away from the falling monster onto a different tree. There was no way he was going to fall alongside him. There was a whistling noise as he descended back onto the ground.

There was a thud as he contacted the hard ground. The crisp leaves and twigs were absolutely no help to softening his fall. As a matter of fact, they made it worse. He remained sprawled out on the ground for a moment. Yet his mission was not complete. He sluggishly rose back up to his feet. Every inch of his body was aching, yet he could not afford to lose any more time. The boy had to be eliminated now. The gangly neck of the beast craned upwards, releasing that same howling noise. He kept at it with the noise; sending it out as far as it would travel.

There was no sign of Marcus being anywhere nearby. So, he prolonged the noise for even more time. The yells and howls persisted on without any sign of stopping. That was until the sounds in the area started to quieten. Concern twisted from within the beast, causing him to try and increase the volume of his yell. This yielded no different results. The sounds of the area grew quieter and quieter. Until there was no sound at all. No wind blowing, no leaves rustling and no more bawling. Ironically enough, the silence was deafening for him. He swung his head around, trying to identify anything nearby to gather his bearings.

Upon turning to his right, he was greeted with a ghastly sight. Marcus’ knee was mere inches away from his face. The word _‘Pow’_ wrapped around his kneecap in a bold red font. The font was explosive and sharp, reflecting the word itself. The connection between the knee to the centre of his snout was ferocious, jolting his face back with a dangerous amount of speed. The rest of his body was dragged along with his shattered face. He soared along the autumn floor before crashing into one of the monolithic trees. Despite this, however, there was not an ounce of sound to reflect just how vicious the attack was. The body twitched as it was lodged deeply into the trunk of the oak tree.

Marcus raised both of his hands and clenched his fists. A wide smile sat on his face as he yelled one last phrase. His voice pierced through the hush, making himself vocal in the forefront:

**_“Radio Silence: Over!”_ **


	11. Will you two stop that?

Z held his hand out and allowed it to trace along the stone wall next to him. The only source of light within the corridor was a single wooden torch. Ty and Javier walked alongside each other, just a bit in front of Z. They all meandered towards the flickering light, knowing it would guide them to where they need to be. The occasional spiderweb brushed past one of their faces, eliciting a response of them flailing their arms about. The stone doorway at the end of the corridor seemed to be rather tall, implying that someone large had to be passing through it often enough for it to be remodelled. Ty placed a fist in hand and cracked his knuckles. Javier took note of this and rolled his eyes.

“Oi, oi, you best not get any funny ideas. You’ve already ruined enough as it is.”

“What?! You expect me to take that disrespect? The guy launched me! I’m gonna return the damn favour!” Ty yelled back, echoing within the stone walls. Javier recoiled, snapping back at Z.

“You get through his thick skull better than I can, you talk to him!” Javier threw his arms up in the air out of frustration.

Z was temporarily pulled out of his internal musings after hearing his name be called. He took his hand off the coarse wall and wiped it away on his trouser leg. “To be honest, I wouldn’t let someone get away with that, bu- “

“See!” Ty interjected, “That Franken-Freak is gonna pay for what he did!”

“But!” Z had to regain control of the conversation, “We can’t afford to go all loose cannon around here now. We’ve already squandered a golden opportunity, so let’s try and tone down the revenge plot.” He waved his hand in front of Ty’s face. The older teen sneered and moved his friend’s hand away from his face.

“I get it, I screwed up. I’m sorry, but it’s still on sight with that guy.”

“Fight him! We literally want you to do that! Just don’t raise any more alarms!” Javier pinched the bridge of his nose as he clarified the parameters of their agreement.

They all came upon the stone doorway. It revealed that they were now standing in the middle of a staircase. The feeble light the illuminated stairwell, showing the only two paths that could be taken at that point. The path on the left would take you up to the top of the keep. To the single tower that overlooked the bailey and gate. The right path delved even further into the heart of the castle, to the underground. Uneasiness loomed over both Z and Javier as they stared down the darker path. Z slowly raised a hand to his chin and scratched it.

“Let’s be real, we all know Thaddeus is hiding up on the highest floor. He strikes me as the type of guy to put theatrics first. So, here’s what we do, we split up. Javier, you go up and show him how things re- “

“Split up? Easy. I’ll catch you guys back here in five minutes.” Ty patted them both on the shoulders before walking down the staircase backwards. He kept pointing at the duo as he disappeared around the corner. The sound of his footstep rapidly increased, letting the two know that he was dead set on his mission once more. Z and Javier unhurriedly turned to stare at each other. Neither of them outwardly appeared to be angry. The air suddenly felt a lot staler between them with their nonverbal conversation.

Javier placed his hand over his face. He dragged his palm down along his face, pulling at it slightly. He groaned as he began to take after the departing member of the group. “I’ll handle him! You go ahead and kick that guy’s ass.” Z prepared to say something in return, yet he had already disappeared around the bend too. Z sighed to himself before taking the left turn.

Ty darted down the stairs. He firmly placed his palm against the stone wall to stabilise himself. Once he finds out where his assailant is, he knows very well that the brawl would be something he would enjoy. He started to go into more thought about what he would do within the fight – which attacks he would like to bring up and how he would block certain attacks. Him being caught up in his own thoughts brought about a lot more pain than he anticipated.

He felt his entire body lurch forwards as something struck him from behind. He completely lost his balance and toppled down the stairs. It was extremely difficult to make out which direction was up or down. Spiralling around in the dark was something he would most definitely not recommend to someone else. The stairs jabbed into his body repeatedly as gravity did its job. He could feel his head smack against the walls every so often too, yet his arms were crossed, and he fell in complete silence.

After a minute or so, light flooded his vision. He had burst through a large pair of double doors. Ty’s head rested against the polished stone floor. His gaze was met with an antique chandelier that was dangling from the ceiling. Quite a few torches were perched along the walls via their respective sconces. The collective light was able to illuminate his surroundings a whole lot better. Stone pillars resided at either side of him. They reached up and pressed against the ceiling, preventing the occupants of the castle from being crushed. He placed his hand against the floor and propped himself up, only now realising the black and white chequered pattern beneath himself. He rose to his feet and kept his arms crossed. An irked glare was cast upon the stairwell he just exited, waiting for the other person to make themselves visible.

The sounds of footsteps were echoing from within the spiralled chamber. They became louder and louder until the source decided to show himself. Javier casually entered the hallway, hands in pockets. His gaze met with Ty’s, so he gave a nonchalant nod of acknowledgement.

“The hell was that for?!” Ty yelled.

“You don’t know how to listen! I would have only smacked you on the back of the head, but I’m pretty sure that thick skull of yours would cushion the blow!”

“And who put you in charge?! Z already said you were supposed to go up, so I was only staying ahead of the curve!”

“What if he had something else to say, huh?!” Javier cried in return. The two inched towards each other as their argument persisted.

“He didn’t have anything else to say! He doesn’t beat around the bush with his plans, that’s for sure!”

“Well, you can’t expect that of him every single time!”

A new voice joined the haze of words that were being thrown around. The source seemed to come from the other end of the hallway they were in. “Excuse me…?” The voice itself was faint. Oddly familiar, on top of everything else.

Both Javier and Ty temporarily gritted their teeth after hearing someone rudely interject. They both turned and barked simultaneously, “Hey! Don’t interrupt us! We’re busy here!” The tones of their voice were surprisingly similar, making it difficult to distinguish the voices from one another. Neither of them wasted any time turning back to the other to continue their argument, yet Ty’s neck swivelled around to the source of the new voice.

The same patchwork man from Mythfort’s town centre. His face was twisted into a surprised expression, shocked that the same people from before had even dared to step onto his own turf. Ty’s face, however, showed a fiendish smile. This was exactly what he wanted. He pushed Javier aside slightly as he dashed towards the end of the corridor. The other teen staggered to one side as his friend took off. He wanted to say something again, but he knew there was no point now. Ty raised a fist and leapt into the air, much to the patchwork man’s dismay.

“You better find yourself a blanket, because I’m putting your ass to sleep!”


	12. Batter up!

The patchwork man raised his chunky arms to block the oncoming attack. However, this attempt at self-defence was ultimately useless. Ty thrust his arm forwards with such force that he struggled to resist it. His own arms collapsed back into his face, obscuring his vision. The man blurted and staggered backwards from the attack, providing his adversary with a new opening. Ty gracefully landed on the floor and continued his string of attacks. He raised his foot and stamped it forwards, practically imprinting his sole’s design onto his stomach. The behemoth skidded along the ground as he now tried to comfort his burning stomach. He keeled forwards, both arms firmly secured over his gut. The teen kneeled slightly. He gave a cheeky grin before giving him a piece of his mind. Literally. Ty jumped upwards with a dangerous amount of force, slamming the roof of his head against the underside of the behemoth’s jaw. He threw his head back in anguish, yelling out with a shrill tone that was not quite fit for his frame.

Javier watched with crossed arms. Whilst he internally acknowledged Ty’s strength, he had absolutely no intention of just standing around and gawking. He scoffed as he turned to the door beside him. He grabbed onto the handle and jostled it around. Locked. That was not too surprising, after all, they were wandering through enemy lines. Javier smirked as he remembered the lockpick he always carried around with him. He raised his leg and swiftly bashed it against the lock. The door swung backwards with little to no resistance. He peered into the dank room, unfortunately revealing nothing new to himself. It was a waste of space, which disappointed him. He pulled his head out of the room and stepped back into the hallway.

“Heads up!” Ty yelled. Javier dragged his attention over to where he left the other too and immediately saw why he was given the warning. The patchwork man was coursing through the air towards him. His body was splayed out, showing little to no sign of consciousness behind his eyes. If Javier did not do something soon, he would find himself being battered by the ‘human’ wrecking ball. He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

He took a stance where he leaned forward on his left leg. He twisted his upper body slightly clockwise. With steadied breathing, he began his counterattack. A small circle appeared on the immediate flooring around him. Said circle slowly yet surely began to twist on its very own. The very ground around him appeared to whirl as Javier kept his posture. His face visibly tensed – just as his eyes shot open. A bright yellow whirlwind glistened as it encircled his right leg. Javier brought his eyes up to the monster that was careening towards him.

**_“Rotación Dorada: ¡Huelga!”_ **

(Golden Rotation: Strike!)

Upon uttering the name of his attack, he gave a demonstration. He twisted his entire body as his target came even closer to him. He raised his glowing leg and struck the large being before him. At first, it appeared as though they were caught in a stalemate of strength. Javier’s foot dug deep into the side of the man, yet he still had a copious amount of force still pushing him ahead. He felt his footing slip beneath him slightly as the battle between forces continued. Fortunately for Javier, he still had a trick up his sleeve. The golden twister surrounding his leg increased in speed. It audibly whirred as he placed more pressure on his victim. The side of the patchwork man started to twist along with the leg, creating a weirdly satisfying visual. With one final push forwards, the man was sent flying back in Ty’s direction.

Ty drove his fist into his palm as he waited for the arrival of his opponent. He smirked as he reeled his fist back, knowing very well of the chaos he was ready to unleash.

**_“Five Ton Sl- “_ **

Unfortunately for him, he did not properly estimate just how fast Javier had sent him. Both Ty and the patchwork man flew down the corridor. He tried to free himself from behind such a large adversary – but the speed they were travelling at made that task nigh impossible. Javier tensed up as they crashed into the wall at the end of the corridor.

“…My bad.” He bowed his head down in apology before taking off to the nearest door. Once again, he slammed his foot against the lock of another door. Nothing of interest was inside. He groaned. For having a castle so large, it was apparent that they were barely making use of the space they had. “As they say, you shouldn’t bite off more than you can chew…” Javier grumbled to himself as he barged into yet another door. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing. “There has to be another ass to kick around here!” He yelled as he charged into yet another door.

The wooden slab collapsed under the pressure, sending Javier into the room. He grunted as his shoulder hit the stone flooring beneath him. The man placed his hands onto the ground and exhaled as he regained his composure. Upon staring at the ground, something struck him as rather odd. His shadow had grown a lot stronger than before. A bluish light was cast upon the floor, which confirmed his suspicion; there was a stronger light source nearby. He raised his head cautiously and at first, he did not believe his own eyes.

A large metallic desk was placed just before him. He rose to his feet and approached it, placing his hands on the cool steel. Yet that was not necessarily what gripped his attention. Several computer monitors stood atop the desk, casting their light, and filling the room. At first, he questioned just how these machines were operating in an area like Mythfort. Then he remembered the kind of scumbag they were up against. “Of course, he would privatise the internet like this for himself… He’s gotta contact the other _pedazos de mierda_ out there somehow…” He leaned forwards and reached for the keyboard. Yet another discovery distracted him from the task at hand. A corded phone was integrated into the desk. ‘A pretty odd design choice,” Javier thought, “But a useful one anyway.”

He reached his hand out to make one crucial call. That’s when the danger finally decided to show itself. A loud bang resonated within the room. The glass of the monitor closest to Javier’s face shattered. He pulled his head away with lightning speed, luckily avoiding the glass catching in his face. He raised his right hand. After lowering most of his fingers, his pointer was still standing upright. The singular digit was immediately coated with the same golden twister from before. “You missed me!” Javier yelled, turning around, and pointing at whoever tried to attack him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pedazos de mierda = Pieces of shit


	13. Brains and Brawn

Javier kept his finger pointed outwards as he turned right around. He gritted his teeth and braced himself for the shootout that was imminent. He cupped his pointing hand as though he were carrying a firearm of his own. But all this preparation was in vain, as Javier dropped his stance as soon as he saw just what he was up against.

The revolver was still being pointed at him, albeit with shaky hands. Speaking of the hands – they were not visible. As a matter of fact, the person behind the attack was nowhere to be seen. The gun floated in the air, shaking violently back and forth. The energy surrounding Javier’s finger dissipated as he cocked his head to the side. He took a single step forwards to see how the invisible person would react. The response that came from the attacker was swift. They shrieked before dropping the firearm onto the ground. He was able to hear their footsteps as they scrambled away from him.

“Well, that’s definitely a fitting ability for you.” Javier commented with a snide tone. He knelt beside the revolver. He grabbed it by the handle and slapped his hand against the cylinder. It opened with no resistance. His eyes widened slightly as he tilted the chamber back. A smile settled on his face as he realized he pulled that off first try. The cartridges slid out of the cylinder and into the palm of his hand. After a quick headcount, he shoved them into his pocket. “You dropped your toy back here! Think you’re brave enough to come to get it back?!” Javier beckoned his opponent to come forth. He shoved the firearm into his back pocket before raising his fists.

He stood within the room, staring at his surroundings. A few wooden crates lined the walls of the room, making the arena smaller than it needed to be. The doorway had light pouring through from the corridor’s chandelier. Said light only paled in comparison to the fluorescent lighting of the remaining screens from behind him. “I bet that chicken isn’t even in here…” He turned his attention to the shattered monitor next to him. No matter, he didn’t necessarily need it anymore. He stepped over the glass on the ground to approach the phone once more. He grabbed the handset and placed it near his ear.

“Damn, what’s the number again…?” Javier muttered as he traced his fingers over the keypad. He racked his brain temporarily as he tried to remember the number that should have been imprinted into his memory. After a couple of seconds, he smacked his forehead. “Zero-Zero-Zero, right!” The young man leaned onto the desk as he started to punch in the numbers. Yet just as he prepared to begin this call, he felt the very air surrounding him become thicker. He precariously placed the handset back onto the grooves of the surface. He swung his head around just in the nick of time to catch a glimpse of a chair floating above his head. Within moments, it came crashing down.

* * *

Meanwhile, the hallway was enduring a much more electric fight.

Ty threw his fist forwards, aimed at the chest of the behemoth before him. The patchwork man didn’t hesitate to grab onto his arm before they could make contact. His hand was able to cover most of the teen’s forearm. Ty raised his other hand and struck the large fist repeatedly. His attempts at being released were fruitless. The larger man lifted his hand, raising the teen clean from his feet. As his legs dangled about, he continued to struggle against his opponent. “No one makes a mockery of me, Franken!” He spat out at the captured man. Ty recoiled as saliva landed on his face. “I’ve crushed buildings with my bare hands, I’m not going to let some upstarts deface our reputation!”

“Hey, look at me.” Ty relaxed his body. Both of their eyes met. Part of him was surprised he was given the chance to speak. “Bitch.”

There was absolutely no hesitation behind Franken’s attack. He pulled his fist as far back as his sizeable body would allow him. After giving his palm the customary squeeze before driving his broad fist into Ty’s face. The teen barely had any time to react to the attack. He made use of the tiny window of time to tense his face as much as he could, as that was his only means of defending himself that quickly. The initial impact of the attack was too sudden for him to feel. The release of his arm from Franken’s arm meant the momentum of the strike carried him through the air. That was when Ty truly understood what sort of opponent he was up against. The entirety of his head felt an immense throbbing sensation course through it at once. The pain truly reflected upon the concussive force that connected with his profile. For just a moment, he could not quite make out what he was even looking at. The beige tones of the walls and ceilings all meshed into a singular tone of blandness.

The teen landed on the ground with a thud. He folded upon himself as he landed upon his back, causing his legs to almost hit him in the face. Franken tensed himself as he stared at Ty. He remained motionless as he waited. The vast man gritted his crooked teeth as he stood there. The lower half of the boy straightened itself out, with his heels connecting with the floor.

“Get up! I know you still have some fight in you!” He lashed out at the teen. There was no way he was down for the count, he refused to believe it.

Ty’s eyes sluggishly opened just before he gave the ceiling a hard stare. He raised a hand to his nose. After giving his nostril a quick wipe, something came to his attention. He used his other hand to prop himself upright. Franken watched as he showed his face, revealing the blood that had started to trickle down from his nose. He used the back of his hand to wipe away the thick red liquid as he rose to his feet. A quick tug on the zipper of his hoodie allowed him to take it off and cast it aside.

“I’m sorry,” Ty spoke softly, almost to a point where Franken couldn’t hear him.

“Eh? For what?” The behemoth cocked his head to the side.

Ty raised both of his fists, clenching them tightly. He placed one foot in front of the other and resumed his battle stance. “For not taking this seriously!” He belted out, preparing for the next phase.

* * *

Javier stood in the centre of the room, pressing a hand against his forehead. The thick liquid seeped between his fingers as he attempted to stop too much flowing out. He ground his teeth together as he stood there. He ran his fingers through his dark hair before they tensed against his scalp. The mere thought of being caught off guard by such a lame attack ate away at him internally. His lips quivered as he tilted his head downwards. “Where…” He started softly, “Where are you?! You really think you can beat me by hiding?!” The volume of his voice increased drastically. The intensity of his words raised even further. “Your sole gimmick is hiding in plain sight, yet you chose to make no advances! Can you even call yourself a worthy opponent at that point?!”

He staggered backwards. Maybe the blood loss was starting to take its toll on him, yet he still had some choice words to give. “Because of you, we’re going to take this town back! To think you’re lowly scum and a coward on top of that! _¡Qué vergüenza!_ ” The teen pressed his hand even tighter against his bleeding head. He dragged himself over to one of the crates pressed up against the wall, his offbeat footsteps echoing throughout the room. A sturdy hand was placed against the top of the wooden box. Javier stared down and concentrated. A yellow aura soon encompassed his hand. Within mere seconds, the aura began to twirl and rotate around his trembling fist. A saw of his own, without any power supply needed.

He raised his fist and slammed it down onto the crate, sawing through the wood. Sawdust flew up into the air as he precariously lowered his hand towards the ground. His eyes and mouth were closed tightly during this process, and his arm acted as a very effective nose-guard. It wasn’t long before he managed to carve a sizeable strip into the box. A glance at the exposed hole made Javier grin.

The teen shoved his hand in and grabbed the first thing his eyes laid upon within the crate; a juicy apple. The pale blue light from the working screen highlighted the cleanliness of the fruit. “This is what you’re risking your skin for? A get-rich-quick scheme?! Look at yourself and ask the most important question there is: Is this worth fighting for?!” His voice bellowed within the room. And now, for the final move. He lowered the apple down to his lips. A small part of him expected to see his reflection on the skin of the fruit. He opened his mouth and prepared to take a bite from the nutritious snack. Yet he paused. Whilst still holding the apple close to his mouth, he focused on his hearing capabilities. There was a noise that was ever so faint, yet it was key to his victory.

Footsteps. The sound of footsteps was growing louder and louder. He tensed himself and focused on where they were coming from. An educated guess told him that it was his right-hand side. Yet this level of focus was not necessary in the slightest, as his opponent’s adrenaline rush turned out to be his greatest help yet. A sharp, high-pitched voice yelled out at him: “You dare question my loyalty to Lord Thaddeus?! He’s the greatest man to walk on this planet!”

“Not quite.” Javier thrust his hand to the space immediately beside him. His palm hit a flat surface, despite nothing being there. His adversary grunted sharply. Javier waved his hand around slightly and he was back to touching the thin air. However, everything went perfectly according to his plan. He could hear someone huffing nearby, most definitely the invisible man.

“You think you’re safe? You raised a good number of points! I am no coward! I am your worst nightmare! You can’t fight what you can’t even see!” The confidence he exuded oozed through his words. He didn’t need a face to reflect his newfound cocky attitude. Javier stood upright. With a cool air to himself, he walked forwards. The invisible man stood in place, not that he had anything to worry about. The young man raised his fist and lunged forwards – causing the invisible foe to lose his composure. Javier brought his fist down, striking the man right in the jaw. His head twisted as he was sent backwards. His open hand slammed against the metal desk, taken aback by what just happened.

“Wh-How did you locate me?!” The same fearful attitude from before had managed to weasel its way back into his voice. He did his best to prop himself back up to an upright position, using the desk as a means of stability.

“I can tell the type of guy you are. You wait until someone is at their most vulnerable and then you strike. I just had to provoke you enough to tag you. Speaking of which, you might want to wash that out.” Javier gestured down to the chest of the invisible being. His eyes trailed down to where Javier has smacked him before. Square in the centre of his chest was a red handprint, levitating in thin air. The wound that he gave Javier ended up being his undoing, so it seemed. He shakily raised his head back up to the teen. This time, he was the one that had disappeared. All it took was him craning his neck up even further to spot him.

Javier had leapt high up into the air, clearing a good couple of meters with only a singular bound. He looked down upon his soon to be victim and allowed a smirk to appear on his face. He held his arms out to his side as he began to tuck his body inward. Once he became smaller in the air, his momentum began to turn himself mid-air. The aerial spins he performed gained speed. The man back down on the ground was caught in a state of shock, like a deer in headlights. Thanks to Javier’s ability, it only took him seconds before he became a blur within the air. A thin, golden strip appeared vertically along the ball he became within the air. The strip encircled his entire body.

**_“Rotación Dorada: ¡Golpe de Meteorito!”_ **

(Golden Rotation: Meteor Strike!)

At the very last moment, Javier thrust his leg outwards. The heel of his right foot pounded the top of the invisible man’s head. The twisting aura surrounded his heel, only adding to the damage he was doing. All that force was only going one way, downwards. The invisible man felt a surge of pain travel through his entire body, from head to toe. He felt his knees strain to keep up with the attack, causing him to drop down onto the floor with no resistance.

Javier landed back onto his feet and watched as the stain he placed on his opponent fell flat on the ground. A flicker of colours appeared before his eyes. Slowly yet surely, the invisible man faded back into view. He looked like a rather tall man, with long brown hair coming all the way down to his shoulders. The clothes he wore looked to be quite modern. The most prominent feature he now owned was the lump on top of his head.

* * *

Ty groaned as he stared off at Franken. The larger man rubbed a large hand at his lips, wiping away any saliva he may have accidentally spat up. They both looked worse for wear and the same could be said for the arena. The walls of the corridor were painted with dents and cracks, which only reflected upon their hand-to-hand brawl. The white shirt Ty wore was now stained with small red blotches, thanks to the attack upon his face from earlier. The two stared each other down in the otherwise empty hallway.

The younger man dragged one of his legs backwards, bringing up his stance for what he was sure would be his final time. He raised his fist high in the air, clenching it tightly. Franken took note of this and inhaled sharply. “One more strike, huh? Don’t worry, I’m happy to oblige!” The larger man initially dragged himself forwards. Each step he took shook the ground ever so slightly. The vibrations through the floor became more frequent as he picked up the pace, evolving into a full-on sprint. Ty closed his eyes. He slipped into a state of focus.

**_“Five Ton…”_ **

His eyes shot open. The last thing he was able to see was Franken’s massive frame taking up most of his vision. The man was aiming to charge into him with his shoulder.

**_“…Slam!”_ **

And that’s when Ty countered. He swung his fist forwards with a mighty amount of force. The connection he made was audible, creating a booming sound. Franken’s entire body jerked behind the arm that was hit. He felt the attack surge through him from his left side to his right. Ty gritted his teeth as the recoil sent him back a short distance. Yet that paled in comparison to what happened to Franken.

The larger man jolted from the attack. The initial strike most definitely did damage to him, but it was the aftermath that got him. The punch had launched him backwards – the fastest he had been sent flying yet. He corkscrewed through the air, like what he had done to his opponent in the past. The flying session did not last all that long, however. He made his collision with the stone wall at the end of the corridor. And just like a similar event in the past, he managed to tear through the stone, leaving a sizeable hole in the wall. The man’s leg dangled out into the corridor. Ty watched with a relieved expression. “Now we’re even!”

Javier peered out into the corridor. He opened his mouth to speak, but the damage to the environment grabbed his attention first. “What happened out here?!” He yelled. A slab of stone fell from the ceiling, narrowly missing out on him.

“We fought. What’s up with your head?” Ty nonchalantly spoke. He placed his hands back into his pockets. He nodded his head slightly as his way of gesturing to Javier’s wound.

“Oh? This? I got it in a scrap of my own. But that doesn’t matter, come check this out!”


	14. The final showdown

Z made sure to pace himself as he ran up the stairs. He had absolutely no way of knowing what the others were dealing with, but he was sure that they would handle any obstacle that was thrown their way. He remained close to the wall to ensure that he would get up the stairs as fast as he could. After a couple of minutes, he felt himself growing tired. He could hear the faint noises of a fight all the way back down near the foot of the staircase. He paused as he placed a hand against the stone wall. The teen kept quiet, straining his hearing. “Although they’re faint, I can understand what everyone’s saying. Must be Ty getting his revenge…” His mind ran across what Javier was doing then, but that was something he should be worrying about later. He shouldn’t be wasting time like this, anyway.

He gathered himself and pushed to get up the remainder of the stairs. The light from each fire torch seemed to dip and increase as he passed them. The teen felt his stomach turning slightly as the top of the staircase came into view. The large wooden doors stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking anyone who dared to enter. He eased his breathing slightly. If he could beat Thaddeus right now, maybe the others won’t even need to fight. With that being the most comforting thought on his mind, he opted to roll with it. He placed his hands onto the doors and pushed them back.

The room itself was decently large. Messy too. Cupboards and wardrobes were strewn across the floor. Some were broken, some were just laying about. Z raised his head from the ground and looked ahead. A large circular window decorated the wall before. A beautiful mixture of pink and orange shone through the glass, letting him know that night was soon to befall them. The last thing Z wanted was a fight in the dark, especially when his enemies knew the land better than him. A wooden chair sat in the centre of the room, casting a shadow that had managed to reach all the way to Z’s feet.

“Enjoying the view?” A smooth voice pulled Z from his train of thought. The teen acted immediately. He threw his fist forwards. Thanks to his ability, his forearm detached itself from his body. A chain (akin to one you would see on a zipper) linked his arm to the projectile of a punch he sent out. His fist zoomed across the room. Its connection with the chair was sudden, causing it to break into pieces on impact. The fist zipped back to his arm, filling the room with the familiar sound of an actual zipper.

“Where are you?” Z craned his neck around after realising that the dictator was not sitting in the seat. The sunlight bled into the room. Z kept his wits about him as he stepped further into the room, basking in the light. He kept his fists raised.

“You don’t need to know where I am.” The voice spoke once more. Z kept his head on a swivel as he tried to locate its source. “I hope you understand that you’re trespassing on private property, correct?” The slimy voice seemed all too happy to remind the teen of his current standings. He could almost feel the glee rubbing off his voice as he spoke.

“I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to set the record straight!”

“Oh! A feisty one! This should be interesting…” The curtains behind him shifted together without warning, severely decreasing the amount of light in the room. Z jumped before turning right around. His back was almost pressed against the window, so it was clear that his opponent wasn't behind him. That only left one other option. He slowly craned his neck upwards.

Thaddeus stood on the ceiling of the room. He hung upside down, as though gravity itself had inverted solely for him. His arms crossed over his chest. “Looking for someone?” His hair managed to remain in the same position that it would have if he were standing on the floor. He raised a finger and used it to push his circular glasses up further along the bridge of his nose. Z grit his teeth as he stared up at the menace. “Or have you already found them?” He gave the very same wicked smile from his wanted poster. Without breaking posture, he fell from the ceiling. It looked like gravity finally decided that it ruled over him. He twisted in the air, allowing him to land squarely on his feet.

“I apologise for the mess, a co-worker and I had a bit of a disagree-“ He opened his eyes behind his thick, tinted lenses. Z’s fist was flying forwards yet again, aimed directly at Thaddeus’ face. The older man struck the projectile with the back of his hand. He did not even flinch as he countered, it was almost like he saw the attack before Z initiated it. Z, on the other hand, felt shock surge through his entire body. There was no reason why he should have acted upon such short notice. Once he brought his head back to the battle, he learned why people insisted on ‘keeping your head in the game’. Thaddeus dashed towards him. His speed made it appear as though he was soaring parallel to the ground.

Z tried to dive out of the way, but it was far too late. Thaddeus’ arm jabbed against his neck. Due to the speed that he was travelling at, Z was carried back as well. Within mere moments, he found himself pinned up against a wall by his neck. The room filled with the noise of a zipper being pulled as his arm retracted to the rest of his body. He continued to struggle against his opponent’s arm, but his strength was truly something else. “Do you now see why we don’t barge onto other people’s properties?” Thaddeus asked with a low tone.

“That’s rich coming from a guy like you!” Z spat back. “Eldin told us what we need to know!” The confidence upon the man’s face disappeared within an instant. It took mere moments for him to piece together why he was there. “Oh, you’ve come to claim my head. That’s it?” He cocked his head to the side as he asked. The teen tensed himself up as he prepared for what was coming next. “What happens in Mythfort, stays in Mythfort.” The man growled before opening his mouth. Z refused to stop his struggle; he squirmed and shuffled despite Thaddeus’ grip on him. A glance at his attacker’s teeth made him pause.

The man’s upper canines were elongated – stretched out far longer than any of his other teeth. Z set his mind back to the encounter within the centre of the town. The patchwork man reminded him of another iconic monster, so he could only assume what the other three looked like. But now was not the time to reminisce. Thaddeus lunged, attempting to sink his fangs into Z’s neck.

The young man had luckily caught himself in time to avoid the oncoming peril. Just as how his fist would fly forwards for a ranged attack, his head launched high up into the air. The vampire’s fangs managed to sink into the stone wall with ease. The chain connecting his body to his head slipped right in between the gap, evading danger in the nick of time. Thaddeus’ eyes trailed up along the metal zipper teeth to the teen’s head. This distraction allowed Z to counter with his own attack. Back down on the ground, he raised his leg and stamped it forwards. Such force shoved Thaddeus clear off the wall, allowing Z for a safe return to the ground. The vampire stumbled backwards, tripping over one of the fallen closets. The teen’s head retracted safely onto his shoulders with no issue.

The older man gripped onto the decaying wood of the furniture tightly. His fingers even managed to pierce through the aged material. He propped himself back up onto his feet relatively quickly. “What a useless ability to own! Zippers?! That’s laughably horrible!” He began to snicker at the thought of having one shot at getting an ability, and it is as arbitrary as something you would find on your clothes. Z maintained his stance in silence. He glared right at the man. “What? Too ashamed to retaliate?!” Thaddeus chortled as he watched the teen back. He wiped a tear from his eye, but that brought about the end of his laughter. Z’s arm had detached itself once more. The ground right beside Z’s foot was zipped open, creating a space of darkness. The chain from his bicep continued to extend down into the opened ground, implying that the attack was still ongoing. Thaddeus swung his neck around, trying to locate where the next opening for the attack would be. The constant noise of the zippers filled the air, which was awfully distracting for the vampire. So much so that he was not able to focus enough to look directly downward. A small zip appeared on the floor right beside his feet. It moved on its own, opening the ground and revealing a dark space underneath. Z’s fist came flying out of the spot, striking Thaddeus on the underside of his jaw. The man grunted as his head was thrown back. Far enough to see the ceiling.

The wooden roof above his head held another zipper just for him. It opened without haste. Thaddeus could only stare into the dark void above him. With a bit of a squint, he could make out two objects from within the darkness. His eyes widened just as he realised what they truly were. The soles of Z’s shoes emerged from the opened space and stomped against his face. The man jerked back completely, destroying any pieces of furniture that were in his way. His head even managed to crack the tiled floor that rested beneath their feet. “Useless ability?!” Z called out. He had to speak over the noises of his limbs retracting. “How many abilities out there let people pull off stunts like that?!” The older man laid on the ground, not giving his response. For a moment, Z wanted to believe that the fight was already over. But the rational side of him refused to be so hopeful. He placed his foot underneath a wooden plank and kicked it up into the air, grabbing it with his hands.

The man sluggishly raised back onto his shaking legs. His vision was beyond hazy, thanks to the direct attack to the face. The glasses that rested upon his face didn’t withstand the attack, revealing his red-pupiled eyes underneath. Thaddeus grabbed onto his own head and panted – taking a breather like this only helped him regain himself ever so slightly. Z held the plank above his head, charging ahead without uttering a word of warning. He constantly hopped over rubble and debris as he approached Thaddeus. The vampire twisted his head towards Z with such force that he could have snapped it accidentally.

Z thrust the plank forwards. The course it was travelling along was aimed right for his opponent’s stomach. The attack was almost successful but almost will not cut it. Thaddeus leapt into the air causing the plank to jab the wall behind him. It cracked straight down the middle, creating two smaller boards for Z to utilise. The vampire clung to the ceiling. He stood upside down, calculating how he should strike next. “To think an insolent child would come here and meddle with my affairs, were you never taught to mind your own business.” The teen turned his head and watched the man hanging from the ceiling. He adjusted one of the boards in his hands to hold its end, giving him more range. Thaddeus raised a hand and grabbed the board with ease. “Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong never yields positive results. It’s for the best that you learn a lesson like this quickly.” Z went to release the board and put some distance between them. Unfortunately, Thaddeus’ reflex made an example of themselves again. He grabbed onto Z’s arm and hoisted him back up. They met eye to eye.

“You don’t deserve the moral high ground. You’re stealing from these people to benefit yourself and your friends here. We’re just doing what Eldin tried to do in the past!” He yelled right back at the hanging man. He raised an eyebrow in response to the teen’s outburst.

“We? Your little friends are actually in on this too? And here I thought they were just swinging by for sightseeing.” Thaddeus’s grip on Z’s arm tightened. He was able to feel his nails dig right into his skin, causing Z to hiss out in pain. “Then I suppose I should go ahead and check on them before they cause any unnecessary trouble, hm?”

Thaddeus raised his other hand. Z watched as his gangly fingers tensed. The man’s hand shook ever so slightly as he concentrated. The nails that lay on each of his fingertips twitched in unison. They began to stretch, right then and there on the spot. Z’s eyes trailed with the nails as they grew away from the main hand. By the time they stopped, they were a solid six or so inches in length. “Goodbye, brat.” He reeled the hand back. The teen’s eyes widened as he quickly pieces together what was going to happen next.

“Hey! Wait!” He barked out in an attempt to make his attacker at least hesitate. Unfortunately for him, he overestimated the compassion Thaddeus held. The man drove his nails directly into Z’s chest. Despite being upside down, he was still able to attack with such precision that he slipped between the teen’s ribs. The boy didn’t even make any noise. He raised his hands to grab onto Thaddeus’ arm. His grip was weak. “You’re not gonna make it out to the others.” His voice was barely above a whisper. Z stared hard at the man. All Thaddeus could do was chuckle.

He yanked his hand back. His nails slipped back out of the teen. A quick inspection of them revealed that they were indeed coated with blood. The areas surrounding the tears in Z’s shirt started to shift to a hue of red. The vampire released him from his wrist, allowing him to drop back onto the ground. A loud crash signalled his descent. Chunks of wood flew back up into the air. Thaddeus knelt and placed his hands onto the ceiling. The same devilish smirk from his wanted poster reappeared. A light chuckle escaped him, filling the room. That same chuckle grew louder and louder, before developing into a full-blown laugh. He had to stand right back up, dropping back down to the ground. His laughter continued as he threw his head back.

“What made you think you could beat us?!”


	15. A blast to the past: Z

**_6 years earlier_ **

The sun rested high in the air. The blue sky remained quite clear with minimal clouds, allowing for the city below to bask in the sunlight. A modern city rested on the ground, littered with skyscrapers, cars and people moving from place to place. The perfect example of a concrete jungle.

Whilst the centre of the city was bustling to no end, the outskirts of the area were far more peaceful. Several suburban neighbourhoods rode on the outskirts of the city. Multiple grids and cul-de-sacs were used to organise these communities. And upon one of these communities, someone was about to enter.

A small black car turned into one of the neighbourhoods. The driver, an older woman, hummed a soft tune to herself as she controlled the car. Her ginger hair bobbed around as she tilted her head from left to right along with the tune. She raised a freckled hand and adjusted the rear-view mirror. A glance at the reflective surface revealed a much younger boy sitting in the back seat. He kept his head pressed against the window as he watched the greenery pass by. All the houses with their front lawns taken care of. He spotted a pair of kids, roughly the same age as him, playing basketball in their driveway. With one fell swoop, the ball fell directly into the basket. He felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips.

“Already liking what you see, huh?” The woman asked, noting the ever so slight smile on his face. The boy jumped, startled from the silence being broken so quickly.

“I… I guess so. It sure does look nice out here already.” The boy quickly sat upright and stared down at the floor. He fiddled with his fingers as the silence began to fill up the vehicle. The sunlight passed through the windows of the car, filling its interior with sunlight. The boy raised his hands and allowed the light to shine upon them. He stared at the glow they gave off. Something so calming and beautiful, just resting in the palms of his hands. Just as he clenched his fists, he spoke once more. “Thank you, again. I really want you to know that I’m super grateful for all of this, Miss Netsin.” His voice trembled as he spoke. The woman felt her heart sink just from the shakiness of his voice. She gripped onto the steering wheel even tighter.

“Z, you don’t have to call me that. Until you really get comfortable, Paige is just fine.”

* * *

Z placed his suitcase down in the centre of the room. A deep breath allowed him to stop for a moment and realise the situation he was placed within. Being adopted was something that rarely crossed his mind often. After all, being a child with such an ‘interesting’ ability put him at a disadvantage. Most heroes would visit an orphanage such as his previous one for a child with something that boasts power, admiration and most importantly respect to continue their legacy. He saw fellow kids leave that owned abilities such as flying, incredible speed and moving objects with their minds. Being able to create annoying noises all the time was the only thing that Z was known for.

He sat down on his bed, staring around at his surroundings. The four walls surrounding him were painted a shade of grey. Shelves were drilled into the walls and a desk sat adjacent to them. Despite the room being nothing of note, it was a welcomed addition to Z’s new life. He laid back on his bed – staring up at the ceiling above him. His hands covered his face. “Zippers.” That was the only word he could muster. Winning the genetic lottery was a major feat in his life, but to be dealt with such a poor ability was something that clouded the young boy’s mind.

A sharp knock on the door caused him to jump. He sat upright and stared at the door. “Come in.” He spoke quietly. At first, he began to question whether the person on the other side heard him, but the door swinging open proved him wrong. A rather tall man stepped into the room. His first action was slicking a hand through his brown hair as he glanced around the room. As soon as he spotted Z, he stepped forwards and held his hand out.

“Sorry I wasn’t there to pick you up, kid, I got caught up in some business. The name’s Liam.” He offered a wide smile. Z watched his hand for a moment. He thought it was rather odd to meet your child with a handshake, but it was something he did not care much for in the end. He got up and stretched his hand out, shaking it firmly.

“It’s fine, don’t stress about it.” A moment of silence filled the air between them. Z awkwardly pulled his hand away and began to stare at the ground. Liam raised a hand to rub the back of his neck.

“So… Is Z your full name or…?”

* * *

Months passed within the Netsin household with any issues. Z found himself integrating into the family rather quickly, growing accustomed to suburban life. He had no devices to his name yet, so a lot of his time was spent watching the television. Occasionally, the news would recite a new story of a hero taking action. Be this by saving civilians from a disaster or interfering with a lowlife criminal’s nefarious actions. The boy was glued to the screen just watching recounts of these heroic actions. Every so often, Paige or Liam would cross his path as he stared at the screen. They would always pull him aside to ask him who his favourite hero was, and the answer was the same every single time – Pathera. She was a rather popular heroine that was always first to the scene of the crime. The reason why? Her ability allowed her to essentially become a GPS. You could state a random street name from across the globe and she would be able to tell you specifically where it is within a heartbeat. The two adults never questioned his reasoning for liking such an ‘out there’ power, but whatever kept him happy made them happy too.

If he was not watching the escapades of the main city, he was focusing his time on training in the backyard. This training mostly came down to striking a punching bag attached to a tree and using several weights that were laid out, but it still worked for him. The afternoon air would often be filled with the sounds of Z grunting as he struck the punching bag by various means. Some days he would dedicate himself to working on kicking the bag, whilst others would be punching. What caught Paige’s interest the most was the fact that she could constantly hear something being zipped and unzipped repeatedly. She raised her hand and used it to part the blinds and peer into the backyard. What she saw was Z sitting in the centre of the grassy area. She watched as he unzipped one of his arms yet again, making the familiar sound once more. He held onto the chain and started to swing the arm above his head, as though it were a flail. He sat there in silence, staring off into the distance and swinging.

Liam walked past her at that moment. With a swift grab onto his shoulder, she stole his attention. He gave her a questioning look at first but a glance through the window answered any question he was preparing to ask. The looked at each other for a solid second and silently decided what needed to be done.

Z heard the door open behind himself. Even then he did not bother turning around. The perfectly blue sky had captured his gaze and his arm continued to swing.

“You alright, kid?” Liam asked first, hoping that he would at least get a response. Z lowered his head slightly before answering.

“I know that I’m gonna have to start going to school soon.” He stated rather bluntly in response. Neither of the adults heard him use such a flat tone before, which immediately started to raise concern among them.

“Well, of course, dear. You can’t sit at home all day and do nothing.” Paige was quick to reassure him.  
“I’m not gonna sit here and say I don’t need school. Especially because of my… condition.” He released his arm and it dropped to the ground. It slithered back to his body and reconnected right back to where it belonged. “But I just know what sort of things are gonna go down once I get there.” Z brought his knees up and held them close to his chest. Paige wasted absolutely no time in crouching down beside him, with Liam following up soon.

“My name. Why did my parents curse me with such a dumb name? It’s just a single frigging letter.” He faced the ground as he spoke. Z visibly started to shake as his face rested on his kneecaps. “If they didn’t want me, the least they could have done is send me off with a decent ability and na-“

The boy found himself being cut short. Liam placed his hand onto his back. He swung his head towards him as the older man began to talk. “So what if your name is just a single letter? That already makes you pretty damn unique compared to everyone else off the bat.” Liam delivered a light squeeze onto Z’s shoulder. “And if your name is truly bugging you, then maybe you can start calling me L, eh?” He jabbed a thumb towards himself, grinning as much as he could.

Z took a moment to process what he said. He shook his head ever so slightly as he turned to face his father. He visibly cringed. “That’s not a very good letter to use, you know…” Liam paused as he took the time to realise just what he meant by that. Paige tapped Z on his other shoulder, capturing his attention swiftly.

“Z, I want you to know that we want what’s best for you. If that means sending you off to school full of other children that can perform fantastic feats such as yourself, then so be it. We’re so sorry we can’t help you any further with your power but we’re going to support you every step of the way. We know you can do so much with extending your limbs, that can be so useful for covering ground! But our support won’t mean anything unless you realise its value for yourself. You can become a legendary hero Z; we know you can.”

The boy sat in silence. All the effort they put towards him surely should not be wasted. And that extended to him making certain efforts himself. If he were to push forth with this lifestyle, he would have to remember who set him on that path in the first place. A grin appeared on his face as he extended both of his arms out to the side. He grabbed onto both adults by his side and pulled them closer to himself with ease. Both gently settled their hands upon his, embracing his touch. The family sat there and appreciated the sounds around them. The gentle chirping of the crickets, the soft wind flowing through the air and the occasional car passing by.

_Legendary Hero. That has a nice ring to it._


End file.
